Introducing Dr. No and Mr. Yes.In an article earlier this week Mayor Wayne Lippert responding to criticism from Coun. Barry Beardsell on his voting habits suggested that a perusal of his record would reveal that he has been in the minority at council on several occasions. A tally of his voting record revealed that in 13 meetings as mayor, Lippert has voted no just five times and voted yes more than 350 times. He has also been on the losing side of a vote just five times, and none were 6 to 1 against as he had said previously.At the other end of the naysaying spectrum is Coun. Barry Beardsell who, since the new council’s first meeting in December, has voted no 51 times. Some of Beardsell’s no votes have come on procedural items such as whether or not to change a council agenda and on five occasions he’s voted no twice on the same issue.Even with those votes discounted Beardsell still has quite a gap on the next biggest naysayer, Coun. Patrick Nicol who has cast his no vote 25 times. Councillors Juliette Cunningham and Pat Cochrane have 16 no votes each and Buffy Baumbrough and Jack Gilroy have counted 12 no votes each.Lippert said he’s not surprised that Beardsell is the frontrunner.“His nickname even before the last council was Dr. No,” Lippert said of Beardsell’s no tally. “I’ve said all along Councillor Beardsell . . . whether here or at Greater Vernon Services he could provide so much if he would look at solutions and look at the positive side of things.”Although he wasn’t surprised he had more negative tallies than any other politician, Beardsell said he was surprised at the number. He said July was a particularly nix-filled month where he voted no 15 times in two meetings.“The last couple of meetings have been just amazing,” he said. “It’s quite amazing the number of times I’ve voted no.”Beardsell said that most of the time when he differs from the rest of council, it’s on money issues. He said spending on social issues is a provincial responsibility and he doesn’t agree that the city should increase its spending to cover the gaps.“I do have a different philosophy on the financial end of things,” he said. “Council needs to stick to the main issues not pick up the slack of the provincial government.”On some other issues Beardsell said he was surprised to be on his own. He said that he was as surprised as anyone that he was the only politician opposed to giving a variance to the Outback development when the resort had begun construction without permits.“I think back to when the public was really shocked at that,” he said. “But that’s the kind of thing that’s been happening.”Lippert said the fact he’s voted yes so many times is a sign that things are going well at City Hall.“(Councillors) don’t just show up for meetings they do a lot of background,” he said. “I think that’s why you see a lot of voting together.”When asked why he’s voted no fewer times than anyone else, he said, “probably cause I know what’s coming through.”
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