VOTE !
Who I would vote for:
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Mayor - McNeil-Smith
A family man, RESIDENT in Sidney, who has significant prior BUSINESS EXPERIENCE, and owns and runs TANNER's, a successful Sidney bookstore.
He has served a term as Councillor on a previous Council and volunteers with local non-profits.
A quiet-mannered, considerate and thoughtful person, I believe he can restore public trust in the role of the Mayor as a 'fair and beneficient leader' who WILL:
- ACTUALLY LISTEN !!
- Interact respectfully and meaningfully with his constituents.
- Improve Council transparency and accountability.
- Make informed decisions in the best interests of the CITIZENS OF SIDNEY.
- Establish a 'clear vision for the Community' via an OPC review and update.
- Actually COOPERATE and collaborate with North and Central Saanich.
- Heed the VOX POPULI (67% of PENINSULA residents; 2014 referendum) and actively pursue Provincial and local support for a comprehensive study of issues with respect to 'cooperation, integration and/or amalgamation' involving Sidney, North Saanich and Central Saanich.
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Cliff spoke well, and comprehensively, on HIS VISION FOR SIDNEY at the SOS New Candidates meeting, emphasizing the need for public involvement and cooperative planning to the address the many significant issues facing US (Doctor shortage, Affordable housing, Responsible development, Traffic and Parking, the health of the local business sectors).
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If the 'clap-meter' is a fair indication of public sentiment, Cliff "WON" the All Candidates face-off hands down! He spoke firmly and authoratively on the 'Q & A' session, particulary with respect to 'PUBLIC PARTICIPATION' and 'DEVELOPMENT VARIANCES', promising a moratorium on 5 and 6 storey variances until the OCP review sets the new path.
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Council - in MY 'voting priority order':
1) Fallot - Resident in Sidney. A knowledgeable, experienced Councillor, and a tireless defender of OUR Sidney democracy over the past 4 years, speaking up, often standing against the G5, questioning and voting in the interests of the CITIZENS of Sidney. Good show at the SCA All Candidates meeting and good 'clap-meter' response.
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2) Wainwright - Resident in Sidney. Although 'somewhat tainted' as one of the original G5, he appears to have 'seen the light' again, standing up to Price on rushing the Firehall Site rezoning through rather than leaving the decision to the NEW incoming Council. A new Mayor, with a mostly new Council, which is what I expect, will really need the knowledge and experience of an 'old hand' to maintain continuity. May he continue to follow in his new path as a returning candidate! But he DOES need to 'renounce Gateway' if he really wants to regain 'public trust', or mine (at least).
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3) Duncan - Resident in Sidney. A young mother, principled and enthusiastic - may she follow in the footsteps of Bremner-Mitchell & Fallot! Spoke well at SCA meeting. The only speaker at SOS and SCA that raised the failure of the current Mayor and Council to address the 67% YES vote for action on studying 'governance change'! Gets MY vote!
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4) Garnett - Resident in Sidney. Not much 'public footprint' anywhere. Seems to be 'on the side of the angels' with his views on Development issues as noted in his arguements recorded in past Council minutes. He spoke convincingly at the SOS New Candidates meeting, and again at the SCA All Candidates meeting. I hope he can improve his 'public profile' to get enough votes.
Good 'clap-meter' response at SCA & SOS!
5) O'Keefe - Resident in Sidney. Not much 'public footprint' online (Facebook only so far). Her printed brochure indicates a significant 'community interest' (sports, school), to the extent that she is a Queen's Jubilee Medal holder for Community Service, and she has a solid work responsibility and experience history. Spoke well at the SOS All Candidates meeting, and again at the SCA meeting. Good 'clap-meter'.
6) Rintoul - Piers Island resident. An experienced administrator, with VAA Board experience. Willing to say NO to a 'retail Gateway' but 'YES to something else' on the land, which is not quite the solid 'NO' I would like to hear. Some history of community involvement. Works in Sidney. A pity we didn't get a full speech at the SCA meeting (not Chad's fault; blame Air Canada), but what he did manage to get in at the end on the last Q&A went down well.
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Spare
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7) Lynn - Resident in Sidney. A 'no-show' at the SOS new candidates meeting. Not much 'public footprint', but his Facebook page does indicate that he wants to see a 'change in style' in Sidney Council to one which is more 'attentive to the needs of the people'. His showing at the SCA meeting was a little 'weak'; not much 'meat' to his positions.
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(Note : Although it is LEGAL to stand for Council in an area where you are NOT RESIDENT, I am personally not in favour of this. But not enough to 'disqualify' such candidates from consideration purely on that issue, although it does tend to 'put them at the end of the preferred list'.)
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Who I WOULD DEFINITELY NOT VOTE FOR: (in my 'vehemence order!).
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Price - Poor judgement! Bully. Nominators : Losie & Podmore
GATEWAY! CSB location! NO VOTE on CSB funding!
Rampant development and PRO-developer!
Captain of a 'Sinking ship'! May he go down with it.
McLennan - Judgement? Rude! Nominators : Losie & Carscadden.
GATEWAY! CSB location! NO VOTE on CSB funding!
North Saanich Resident. Chief Mate of said Ship.
Weller - Gateway supporter. Nominators : Losie & Carscadden. North Saanich Resident. Did a bit better at the SCA meeting than the SOS; too little, too late.
Templeman - Resident with parents. Student. Ran for MLA 2017! Far too 'pro-development' and chummy with the 'Price bunch' for my liking. SCA performance weak.
Hailey - Saanichton Resident. Husband runs a Sidney Tax
business. Prior Council experience in North Cowichan and Sidney. Poor talk at the SOS meeting. Wishy-washy on the Gateway issue, blaming 'lack of information'. Getting 'up to date' on the facts pertaining to significant Sidney issues should have been a priority! Not a great SCA meeting showing. Being a 'policy wonk' is not helping.