Langford bans one member of public from council meetings

Monday's Langford council meeting saw two RCMP officers attending and one civilian banne from attending.

In an in-camera meeting that followed the main one, council voted unanimously to ban a member of the public from attending council meetings in person for three months effective immediately. The individual’s name was not immediately made public but they have been notified, the spokesperson wrote.

“The decision was based on more than one incident,” the announcement said, “and was deemed concerning enough for [the] Council to have to take this action.”

The ban is the latest instance in which councillors say some people have gone beyond criticism and behaved inappropriately or threatened councillors. In the afternoon before that latest meeting, Langford announced that two RCMP officers would be present for the evening meeting, due to “the recent inappropriate behavior, yelling, and outbursts from some members of the public during council proceedings.”

Langford made the RCMP announcement citing safety concerns from staff and calling it a “proactive measure.” The city says officers were there in response to “unacceptable behaviour” from some residents, calling the measures “regrettable but necessary.” 

Tensions had been gradually building for years, with a number of high-profile clashes along the way.

Multiple prominent incidents in past 2 years 

During the public participation portion of a Langord council meeting on March 20, 2023, resident Scott Perry was asked to keep his comments to the agenda multiple times. 

When he failed to do so, he was asked to leave the chamber by Brad Hutchins, the city’s director of corporate services. Despite the warning, Perry continued speaking until Hutchins and mayor Scott Goodmanson asked bylaw staff to remove him. 

Sandy Sifert, speaking via Zoom at the same meeting, was also told to keep her comments to the agenda, then when told she had run out of time said, “Lucky for you guys.” In response to her comment, Mayor Goodmanson asked, “Is that a threat?”

Mayor Scott Goodmanson made it clear—following a Sept. 5, 2023 meeting in which a member of the public got up from his seat in the gallery during a meeting and rushed towards council members, shouting and pointing his finger—that he would not tolerate inappropriate or threatening behaviour from members of the public. Live broadcast of the meeting showed council members visibly alarmed by the behaviour and jumping out of their seats to their feet. 

Following the incident, Goodman stated:

“Public participation provides an opportunity for council to hear the views of the public with respect to the matters on the agenda. Everyone who speaks should be able to express those views regardless of whether anyone else in the room agrees. That doesn't matter what side of the coin you're on, everyone should have their right to express their views. This free expression can only happen when people feel like they're in a safe space. The city has obligations, not only to the public but to its employees and members of council to ensure that this is a safe workspace for everyone. The city does not tolerate any behavior that may constitute bullying, harassment, discrimination, violence or any other disrespectful behaviour.”

In anticipation of heated discussion at the special council meeting on Dec.16, in which the city’s potential purchase of the YW/YMCA was discussed, Marie Watmough read out meeting conduct rules to those attending: “At this time, we remind the public that the city does not tolerate bullying or harassment of city staff, elected officials or members of the public during council meetings.”

Ultimately, the final council comments on the Y purchase were read out amid the words of hecklers who kept voicing their opposition. 

But the council has also been feeling antagonism beyond the walls of city hall. 

11 months ago, council held conference about behaviour of some critics

At a news conference on Feb.14, 2024, Goodmanson, supported by Couns. Mary Wagner, Colby Harder, Kimberly Guiry and Lillian Szpak revealed that a person had been observed outside a councilor’s home on Jan 29, 2024, looking in windows and taking photos. 

That council member was not named at the presser, but later it was revealed by the Times Colonist to be Keith Yacucha. Yacucha reported the incident to West Shore RCMP, who said they have investigated but determined that, although the behaviour was of concern, no criminal act had been committed. 

Days later on a CFAX radio show, Scott Perry, the same man who was ousted from a council meeting for his disruptive behaviour, identified himself as the person “confronted by Yacucha” in front of the councillor’s home. Perry said he was coming back from Slegg Lumber to visit a friend who, coincidentally, lived in Yacucha’s neighborhood.

Perry has been a vocal critic in council meetings and on social media since the new council began its municipal mandate following the 2022 election and before his ouster from the March 2023 meeting. Perry was not present during the latest, Jan.13 council meeting. 

At that meeting though, a small group of protestors was outside city hall did call for Coun. Lilian Szpak's resignation due to a review that indicated she and the city had breached BC privacy law.