By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: March 23, 2012 1:00 AM
Kevin Acton almost outspent his competitors combined to ensure he remained Lumby’s mayor. Financial documents from November indicate Acton had
expenses of $3,196 for his re-election bid while Janet Green spent
$1,245 and Jim McEwan spent $2,350 in their attempts to become the
mayor. “I felt it was necessary because there was three
candidates and I wanted to send a message that I wanted the position and
I also wanted to separate myself from the village so I rented a place
so people could come and see me,” said Acton. Acton spent $470 on media advertising and $1,600 on signs and pamphlets. He accepted no contributions from supporters. “It was a lot of money out of my pocket when you think
that my taxable income as mayor is $8,000 (out of a total salary of
$12,000),” he said. McEwan had $735 in contributions, with $200 coming from
Colleen and Kim Ferrie, $150 from Pinnacle Communications and $100 each
from Betty Stroulger and Harold Hatterscheidt. He spent $513 on advertising and $1,560 on signs and pamphlets. Green received $700 in contributions but they were from herself and Glenn Green. Green’s expenses included $358 for advertising and $701 for signs and pamphlets. Of the four candidates elected as councillors, the
expenses were $633 for Lori Mindnich, $504 for Jo Anne Fisher, $360 for
Nick Hodge and $214 for Randal Ostafichuk. Among the other candidates, expenses were $430 for
James Harvey, $29 for Judy Gibbs, $123 for Murray August and $486 for
Elinor Turrill.
Showing posts with label 2011 Municipal Election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2011 Municipal Election. Show all posts
Friday, March 23, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
BEYOND THE HEADLINES: Paying the price
By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: March 21, 2012 1:00 AM
Got money to burn? How about running for elected office? Financial documents for the 2011 civic election indicate the mayoralty and councillor candidates in Vernon spent a staggering $109,663 on their campaigns last November. Topping the list was Patrick Davies, who had total expenses of $31,208 — more than the other two mayoralty hopefuls combined and exceeding the median wage of $29,541 for Vernon men and $18,278 for women (2006 census). “As a businessperson out of nowhere and a young guy, we had to get out there and give everything we had,” Davies said of delving into politics for the first time. That meant doling out $11,942 for signs and pamphlets and $10,241 for advertising (including The Morning Star). A significant effort was also placed on a website and social media. Davies admits the bills may deter some people from running for office. “For someone who wants to make a difference, if you don’t have the capital, you’re not going to win,” he said. And to fuel his efforts, Davies didn’t just rely on the kindness of others. He forked out $7,639 of his own cash and $10,000 came from two businesses he owns. Despite coming in third, he has no regrets. “To get the response I did from the people who voted was great,” he said. Rob Sawatzky knew it was going to cost a couple of nickels when he decided to hang up his stethoscope and run for mayor. “Given that I didn’t have a high profile and business roots, I was OK with picking up the cost,” said the now mayor. Of his $19,689 in expenses, he provided $13,500, with the rest coming from supporters, mostly in the form of $500 or less (the largest contribution was $750). Sawatzky has a very real concern that some people with the enthusiasm and skills the city needs could be left on the sidelines because their bank accounts, or those of their associates, are lacking. “It could happen and that would be a shame,” he said. Based on the 30 per cent voter turnout in November, Sawatzky questions the entire campaign process. “It’s not a positive sign when you’re spending money and not getting voters out,” he said. Ultimately, running a campaign is a double-edged sword. You would hope voters will base their support on ideas but to get your message out, you need brochures and signs. “I was blown away by some of the expenses like advertising,” said Catherine Lord, who was successfully elected as a councillor. Lord, who spent $6,488, isn’t sure if budgets will block people from participating in the democratic process. “The money aspect has always been there and it just gets more expensive,” she said. It’s interesting to note that both Patrick Nicol and Mary-Jo O’Keefe are sitting on Vernon council but while he spent the most at $13,233, she forked out $1,948, the middle of the pack among the 15 candidates. It should also be noted that spending habits in no way indicate that one candidate is more qualified or passionate than another. They all put themselves forward for community service and that is the most important aspect to consider. But reality being reality, if you are considering running for council in 2014, you might want to start pinching your pennies now.
Got money to burn? How about running for elected office? Financial documents for the 2011 civic election indicate the mayoralty and councillor candidates in Vernon spent a staggering $109,663 on their campaigns last November. Topping the list was Patrick Davies, who had total expenses of $31,208 — more than the other two mayoralty hopefuls combined and exceeding the median wage of $29,541 for Vernon men and $18,278 for women (2006 census). “As a businessperson out of nowhere and a young guy, we had to get out there and give everything we had,” Davies said of delving into politics for the first time. That meant doling out $11,942 for signs and pamphlets and $10,241 for advertising (including The Morning Star). A significant effort was also placed on a website and social media. Davies admits the bills may deter some people from running for office. “For someone who wants to make a difference, if you don’t have the capital, you’re not going to win,” he said. And to fuel his efforts, Davies didn’t just rely on the kindness of others. He forked out $7,639 of his own cash and $10,000 came from two businesses he owns. Despite coming in third, he has no regrets. “To get the response I did from the people who voted was great,” he said. Rob Sawatzky knew it was going to cost a couple of nickels when he decided to hang up his stethoscope and run for mayor. “Given that I didn’t have a high profile and business roots, I was OK with picking up the cost,” said the now mayor. Of his $19,689 in expenses, he provided $13,500, with the rest coming from supporters, mostly in the form of $500 or less (the largest contribution was $750). Sawatzky has a very real concern that some people with the enthusiasm and skills the city needs could be left on the sidelines because their bank accounts, or those of their associates, are lacking. “It could happen and that would be a shame,” he said. Based on the 30 per cent voter turnout in November, Sawatzky questions the entire campaign process. “It’s not a positive sign when you’re spending money and not getting voters out,” he said. Ultimately, running a campaign is a double-edged sword. You would hope voters will base their support on ideas but to get your message out, you need brochures and signs. “I was blown away by some of the expenses like advertising,” said Catherine Lord, who was successfully elected as a councillor. Lord, who spent $6,488, isn’t sure if budgets will block people from participating in the democratic process. “The money aspect has always been there and it just gets more expensive,” she said. It’s interesting to note that both Patrick Nicol and Mary-Jo O’Keefe are sitting on Vernon council but while he spent the most at $13,233, she forked out $1,948, the middle of the pack among the 15 candidates. It should also be noted that spending habits in no way indicate that one candidate is more qualified or passionate than another. They all put themselves forward for community service and that is the most important aspect to consider. But reality being reality, if you are considering running for council in 2014, you might want to start pinching your pennies now.
Spending doesn’t guarantee Coldstream council seat
By Jennifer Smith - Vernon Morning Star Published: March 21, 2012 1:00 AM
That old saying that money talks doesn’t appear to ring true in Coldstream. Candidates from the 2011 municipal election have now filed their expense forms, which reveal that Jim Garlick didn’t have to spend even a quarter what his competitor did to earn his victory. The mayor, who was re-elected in November (with 1,578 votes), had $766 in election expenses. Meanwhile, Dave Hrabchuk, who ran against Garlick for the mayor’s position, had expenses totalling $5,735. “I question the need to spend a lot of money,” said Garlick, who already served one term as mayor and one prior as councillor. “You more or less think that people have seen what you stand for.” While he doesn’t agree with incumbents spending unnecessary amounts, he understands that first-time candidates like Hrabchuk need to get their name and positions known. “When you’re coming on board the first time, it’s hard, it’s all coming out of pocket,” said Garlick. And Hrabchuk doesn’t see his election expenses as a waste of money. “I still got one-third of the vote when only (32.5) per cent of the population showed up,” said Hrabchuk, who garnered 829 of the 2,413 votes cast. “In three years time I’d probably have a little better success in the community,” adds Hrabchuk, who wouldn’t say if his name might appear on the next municipal election ballot in 2014. While Hrabchuk spent $5,700 on his campaign, a portion of that came from individual and company donations. Contributions to Hrabchuk’s campaign included $1,000 from Bear Paw Earthworks, $800 from David Paterson and $500 each from Keith Construction, R.E. Postill and Sons and Darryl O’Brian. But neither Hrabchuk, nor Garlick, see such donations as attempts to persuade candidates, if elected, to make decisions in their favour. “If you start falling into that trap it can get really messy,” said Garlick, adamant that decisions should be made based on the issues, not the people involved. “I hope everybody acts that way.” Meanwhile, Hrabchuk says candidate decisions often reflect their supporter’s views. “Candidates receive support from people who are like-minded.” While the expenses of running a campaign can quickly add up, one candidate managed to escape any costs.
Despite not being elected, Glen Taylor had zero election expenses by re-using campaign signs from previous elections. But that’s not to say that money talks, as evident with candidate John Hegler who spent $695 on his campaign and didn’t earn a seat on council. The top spending councillor candidate, who also managed to garner the most votes, was Peter McClean, dolling out $965. Doug Dirk’s $145 election investment gained him another term on council, alongside Pat Cochrane who spent $288, Gyula Kiss who spent $462, Maria Besso spent $534 and Richard Enns who spent $701.
That old saying that money talks doesn’t appear to ring true in Coldstream. Candidates from the 2011 municipal election have now filed their expense forms, which reveal that Jim Garlick didn’t have to spend even a quarter what his competitor did to earn his victory. The mayor, who was re-elected in November (with 1,578 votes), had $766 in election expenses. Meanwhile, Dave Hrabchuk, who ran against Garlick for the mayor’s position, had expenses totalling $5,735. “I question the need to spend a lot of money,” said Garlick, who already served one term as mayor and one prior as councillor. “You more or less think that people have seen what you stand for.” While he doesn’t agree with incumbents spending unnecessary amounts, he understands that first-time candidates like Hrabchuk need to get their name and positions known. “When you’re coming on board the first time, it’s hard, it’s all coming out of pocket,” said Garlick. And Hrabchuk doesn’t see his election expenses as a waste of money. “I still got one-third of the vote when only (32.5) per cent of the population showed up,” said Hrabchuk, who garnered 829 of the 2,413 votes cast. “In three years time I’d probably have a little better success in the community,” adds Hrabchuk, who wouldn’t say if his name might appear on the next municipal election ballot in 2014. While Hrabchuk spent $5,700 on his campaign, a portion of that came from individual and company donations. Contributions to Hrabchuk’s campaign included $1,000 from Bear Paw Earthworks, $800 from David Paterson and $500 each from Keith Construction, R.E. Postill and Sons and Darryl O’Brian. But neither Hrabchuk, nor Garlick, see such donations as attempts to persuade candidates, if elected, to make decisions in their favour. “If you start falling into that trap it can get really messy,” said Garlick, adamant that decisions should be made based on the issues, not the people involved. “I hope everybody acts that way.” Meanwhile, Hrabchuk says candidate decisions often reflect their supporter’s views. “Candidates receive support from people who are like-minded.” While the expenses of running a campaign can quickly add up, one candidate managed to escape any costs.
Despite not being elected, Glen Taylor had zero election expenses by re-using campaign signs from previous elections. But that’s not to say that money talks, as evident with candidate John Hegler who spent $695 on his campaign and didn’t earn a seat on council. The top spending councillor candidate, who also managed to garner the most votes, was Peter McClean, dolling out $965. Doug Dirk’s $145 election investment gained him another term on council, alongside Pat Cochrane who spent $288, Gyula Kiss who spent $462, Maria Besso spent $534 and Richard Enns who spent $701.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Walter Gray spent twice as much as Sharon Shepherd in Kelowna election
Tuesday, 20 March 2012 02:00 Ron Seymour Kelowna Daily Courier:
Mayor Walter Gray got his biggest campaign donation last fall from a man he'd never met before. Michael Matvieshen of Sunlogics, a solar technology firm, authorized a corporate donation of $5,000 toward Gray's mayoral bid. "I didn't even know the guy," Gray said Monday. "My first thought was why the heck is he giving that kind of money?" Gray raised a total of $56,920 during last year's civic election campaign, compared to the $29,910 collected by his chief rival, then-mayor Sharon Shepherd. Gray's spending was about 10 per cent more than in 2005, when he lost the mayor's office to Shepherd. In that election, Shepherd spent about $23,000. On Monday, Gray said he had a policy of asking his campaign staff to tell him whenever they were approached by supporters offering to donate $2,000 or more. After Gray heard about the offer from Matvieshen, he contacted the businessman to ask why he was making the donation. "He said he just wanted to see change at City Hall," Gray recalled of the conversation. Gray's second-largest donation was $2,500 from BFL Canada, a Vancouver-based insurance brokerage. He also received separate donations of $1,000 apiece from a half-dozen Kelowna businesses, and donations in the range of $200-$500 from dozens more.
In addition, Gray used $13,600 of his own money to help finance his election bid. In the 2005 campaign, he relied entirely on contributions from others. "We spent more than we had coming in," Gray said of the reason for making a sizable personal contribution to his own campaign this time around. "People were very slow getting off the mark with their donations." One reason for that, he believes, is that many people in the development community shied away from making big contributions to his campaign, lest there be a perception they were trying to unduly influence the election outcome. Still, Gray said he personally declined one campaign offer in excess of $2,000 from a developer. That's because Gray said he was fairly certain the company would be appearing before council in the near future on a development application. "I just said no because I didn't want to be in any way compromised," Gray said. Of his total contributions, Gray spent about $28,000 on advertising, $12,000 on signs and pamphlets, and $6,000 on campaign events and office expenses. Members of his campaign team also received $8,400 in compensation. Shepherd and her husband, a doctor, funded just under half her campaign themselves. She did not receive any donations over $500. Monday was the last day for everyone who ran in last November's civic election to file their campaign contributions and expenses statement. Gail Given was the last councillor to submit her financial report, which showed her contributions at $7,577.20. Only two of the nearly 60 people whose names appeared on election ballots had not filed their paperwork with the city clerk's office by the 4 p.m cutoff. Those who did not do so lost their $100 deposit, and will also be fined $500. They'll be fined another $500 if they miss a second deadline in a month's time.
Mayor Walter Gray got his biggest campaign donation last fall from a man he'd never met before. Michael Matvieshen of Sunlogics, a solar technology firm, authorized a corporate donation of $5,000 toward Gray's mayoral bid. "I didn't even know the guy," Gray said Monday. "My first thought was why the heck is he giving that kind of money?" Gray raised a total of $56,920 during last year's civic election campaign, compared to the $29,910 collected by his chief rival, then-mayor Sharon Shepherd. Gray's spending was about 10 per cent more than in 2005, when he lost the mayor's office to Shepherd. In that election, Shepherd spent about $23,000. On Monday, Gray said he had a policy of asking his campaign staff to tell him whenever they were approached by supporters offering to donate $2,000 or more. After Gray heard about the offer from Matvieshen, he contacted the businessman to ask why he was making the donation. "He said he just wanted to see change at City Hall," Gray recalled of the conversation. Gray's second-largest donation was $2,500 from BFL Canada, a Vancouver-based insurance brokerage. He also received separate donations of $1,000 apiece from a half-dozen Kelowna businesses, and donations in the range of $200-$500 from dozens more.
In addition, Gray used $13,600 of his own money to help finance his election bid. In the 2005 campaign, he relied entirely on contributions from others. "We spent more than we had coming in," Gray said of the reason for making a sizable personal contribution to his own campaign this time around. "People were very slow getting off the mark with their donations." One reason for that, he believes, is that many people in the development community shied away from making big contributions to his campaign, lest there be a perception they were trying to unduly influence the election outcome. Still, Gray said he personally declined one campaign offer in excess of $2,000 from a developer. That's because Gray said he was fairly certain the company would be appearing before council in the near future on a development application. "I just said no because I didn't want to be in any way compromised," Gray said. Of his total contributions, Gray spent about $28,000 on advertising, $12,000 on signs and pamphlets, and $6,000 on campaign events and office expenses. Members of his campaign team also received $8,400 in compensation. Shepherd and her husband, a doctor, funded just under half her campaign themselves. She did not receive any donations over $500. Monday was the last day for everyone who ran in last November's civic election to file their campaign contributions and expenses statement. Gail Given was the last councillor to submit her financial report, which showed her contributions at $7,577.20. Only two of the nearly 60 people whose names appeared on election ballots had not filed their paperwork with the city clerk's office by the 4 p.m cutoff. Those who did not do so lost their $100 deposit, and will also be fined $500. They'll be fined another $500 if they miss a second deadline in a month's time.
Davies Leads Vernon Election Spenders
Written by Peter McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM Tuesday, 20 March 2012 01:07
There was a wide range of spending by the Vernon council candidates last November. In documents filed with the city, Patrick Nicol led the councillors by spending $13,233, all of which came out of his own pocket. Nicol topped the polls for the councillors. Jonathon McMurray and Catherine Lord were next, at $7,169 and $6,848 respectively. Lord got a spot on council, while McMurray was 11th. Lily Kerr spent the least, $297, and came in 13th out of 15 candidates. Third place mayoralty hopeful Patrick Davies was the biggest spender by far---shelling-out $31,208 for ads, signs, pamphlets and office expenses. He also had the same amount in contributions with part of that from companies he owns, co-owns or from relatives. Second place Wayne Lippert spent $10,900, while new mayor Rob Sawatzky had $19,689 in expenses. The retired doctor had $5,073 in donations, and he paid for the rest, $13,500. The biggest contribution to Sawatzky was from Lakeside Development at $750, while Cecil Schmidt, Victor Cumming and Robert Ross provided $500 each. Lippert's largest contribution came from Wesbild Holdings of Vancouver at $3,000, while RL Walker Contracting of Vernon gave $1,000. Davies' largest contributions came from companies he owns or co-owns: Latitude Marine $5,000 and Naked Media $5,050, Walter Davies provided $4,000 and Alderbaran Enterprises $2,000. Of the other councillors that got elected, Brian Quiring spent $3,537 and got donations from S and P Paschenik of Vernon ($1,000), the Vernon Professional Firefighters Association local 1517 ($500) and Lakeside Development Corp ($500). Juliette Cunningham spent $1,167 and among her donors was the Okanagan Labour Council ($500). Mary Jo O'Keefe had $1,948 in expenses with a contribution of $300 from Alex Dantzer. Bob Spiers paid out $2,131 with Al Schuck providing $300. Catherine Lord's main contributors beside herself and her husband, were Nancy and Gary Forsythe at $500. The deadline for filing the information with City Hall was Monday. They are available for viewing by anyone, but you have to view them in person at City Hall.
There was a wide range of spending by the Vernon council candidates last November. In documents filed with the city, Patrick Nicol led the councillors by spending $13,233, all of which came out of his own pocket. Nicol topped the polls for the councillors. Jonathon McMurray and Catherine Lord were next, at $7,169 and $6,848 respectively. Lord got a spot on council, while McMurray was 11th. Lily Kerr spent the least, $297, and came in 13th out of 15 candidates. Third place mayoralty hopeful Patrick Davies was the biggest spender by far---shelling-out $31,208 for ads, signs, pamphlets and office expenses. He also had the same amount in contributions with part of that from companies he owns, co-owns or from relatives. Second place Wayne Lippert spent $10,900, while new mayor Rob Sawatzky had $19,689 in expenses. The retired doctor had $5,073 in donations, and he paid for the rest, $13,500. The biggest contribution to Sawatzky was from Lakeside Development at $750, while Cecil Schmidt, Victor Cumming and Robert Ross provided $500 each. Lippert's largest contribution came from Wesbild Holdings of Vancouver at $3,000, while RL Walker Contracting of Vernon gave $1,000. Davies' largest contributions came from companies he owns or co-owns: Latitude Marine $5,000 and Naked Media $5,050, Walter Davies provided $4,000 and Alderbaran Enterprises $2,000. Of the other councillors that got elected, Brian Quiring spent $3,537 and got donations from S and P Paschenik of Vernon ($1,000), the Vernon Professional Firefighters Association local 1517 ($500) and Lakeside Development Corp ($500). Juliette Cunningham spent $1,167 and among her donors was the Okanagan Labour Council ($500). Mary Jo O'Keefe had $1,948 in expenses with a contribution of $300 from Alex Dantzer. Bob Spiers paid out $2,131 with Al Schuck providing $300. Catherine Lord's main contributors beside herself and her husband, were Nancy and Gary Forsythe at $500. The deadline for filing the information with City Hall was Monday. They are available for viewing by anyone, but you have to view them in person at City Hall.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Mayor's race: The price of victory
by Contributed - CASTANET Mar 19, 2012 / 4:40 pm
Money talks -- especially when you are in a tight race for the mayor's chair. Financial figures released by both candidates show Mayor Walter Gray raised, and spent, nearly twice as much money as Sharon Shepherd in November's municipal election. Gray won by 421 votes. The figures are part of financial statements all candidates are required to file. Candidates for mayor, council and school trustee had until 4 p.m. Monday to file their financial statements. Gray and Shepherd both filed their statements late last Friday afternoon. Figures show Gray raised $57,490 and spent $56,920 while Shepherd was able to generate $29,801 in contributions and spent $29,729. They also show the candidates themselves were the biggest single contributors to their respective campaigns, however, the proportion of those contributions were vastly different. Gray contributed $13,600 (23.6%) of his own money toward his election campaign while Shepherd and her husband Mike spent $14,161 (47.5%). Gray's political machine secured 96 donations of $100 or more. Aside from Gray himself, Sunlogics Inc. was the largest single contributor at $5,000. BFL Canada kicked in $2,500. There were six contributions of $1,000:
Money talks -- especially when you are in a tight race for the mayor's chair. Financial figures released by both candidates show Mayor Walter Gray raised, and spent, nearly twice as much money as Sharon Shepherd in November's municipal election. Gray won by 421 votes. The figures are part of financial statements all candidates are required to file. Candidates for mayor, council and school trustee had until 4 p.m. Monday to file their financial statements. Gray and Shepherd both filed their statements late last Friday afternoon. Figures show Gray raised $57,490 and spent $56,920 while Shepherd was able to generate $29,801 in contributions and spent $29,729. They also show the candidates themselves were the biggest single contributors to their respective campaigns, however, the proportion of those contributions were vastly different. Gray contributed $13,600 (23.6%) of his own money toward his election campaign while Shepherd and her husband Mike spent $14,161 (47.5%). Gray's political machine secured 96 donations of $100 or more. Aside from Gray himself, Sunlogics Inc. was the largest single contributor at $5,000. BFL Canada kicked in $2,500. There were six contributions of $1,000:
- Nick Frost, founder of FourChange.org, the 'grassroots' organization credited in some circles with affecting much of the change around the council table. Frost also owns Castanet.
- Pheasant & Quail Pub
- Al Stober
- Orchard Ford
- Imperial Parking
- Don Folk Chevrolet
Davies the big spender during Vernon's civic election
The three contenders for Vernon mayor spent a lot of cash in November. Now public documents reveal third-place finisher
Patrick Davies spent $31,208 on his campaign while there was $19,689 in
expenses for Rob Sawatzky who topped the polls and $10,900 for incumbent
Wayne Lippert, who placed second. Both Davies and Sawatzky self-financed much of their
campaigns, while the bulk of Lippert's funding came from individual and
business donors. Of the councillor candidates, incumbent Patrick Nicol had the highest expenses - $13,233. Nicol funded his own campaign. The deadline for filing civic election financial records was Monday. Look for more details in Wednesday's Morning Star.
Thursday, March 01, 2012
Byelection ordered after judge disqualifies Harrison Hot Springs councillor
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Financial reckoning coming for FourChange.org
By Alistair Waters - Kelowna Capital News Published: December 21, 2011 4:00 PM
It's not just candidates who ran in the recent civic election who will have to divulge how much they spent to try to get elected, some local groups that endorsed candidates must also reveal how much they spent during the campaign. Under little-known changes to the the provincial rules governing elections, groups that spend more than $500 promoting individual candidates or groups of candidates must file financial disclosure documents with the municipality where they operated or face fines and other punitive measures from the province. The fines for not filing can be as high as $5,000 and there can also be prohibitions from participating in future elections. (more)
It's not just candidates who ran in the recent civic election who will have to divulge how much they spent to try to get elected, some local groups that endorsed candidates must also reveal how much they spent during the campaign. Under little-known changes to the the provincial rules governing elections, groups that spend more than $500 promoting individual candidates or groups of candidates must file financial disclosure documents with the municipality where they operated or face fines and other punitive measures from the province. The fines for not filing can be as high as $5,000 and there can also be prohibitions from participating in future elections. (more)
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
New Council Set To Go
Vernon's
new mayor says he's looking forward to leading the city through what he
feels will be interesting and rewarding times ahead. Rob Sawatzky made the comments in his first mayor's report after he
and the six councillors were inaugurated by provincial court judge Mark
Takahashi before a capacity crowd of friends and relatives at City Hall. The retired doctor told the media, he thinks the next three years are going to be great. "We have a real experienced council, and a mixed council, and the
last council did their best efforts. It's exciting. I think that's the
major feeling that a person has." The 59 year old says improving relations with their regional partners will be ongoing, and part of his job. "The only way you can do good work with your neighbors is to
communicate, communicate, and communicate, try and work out your
problems with the common good in mind. That requires ongoing
communication. There's no magic, it's just work." Sawatzky has never held political office, but is familiar with how the system works. "It will come fairly quickly, and if I'm not comfortable, they'll
straighten me out fairly quickly. We have good city staff and good
councilors so I won't be going astray anywhere." The new council which includes newcomers Catherine Lord, Brian
Quiring, former councillor Juliette Cunningham, along with incumbents
Bob Spiers, Mary Jo O'Keefe and Patrick Nicol, will hold their first
regular council meeting on Monday. Click HERE for more details on the council appointments. The new mayor also used the event to thank outgoing mayor Wayne
Lippert, saying he handled the transition period with grace and dignity,
and also acknowledged the service of councillors Jack Gilroy, Buffy
Baumbrough and Shawn Lee.---------
All of the pomp and circumstance couldn’t detract from the workload awaiting Vernon’s new council. Retired physician Rob Sawatzky was sworn in as mayor during the inaugural council meeting Monday. “There is the feeling that things can be quite daunting but it will be great,” he said of his new duties, which immediately includes developing the 2012 budget and hiring a new administrative officer. Wayne Lippert, who was not re-elected to a third term Nov. 19, was on hand to present Sawatzky with the chain of office. “Wear it with pride and honour and remember that you represent all citizens of Vernon,” said Lippert. Also swearing their oath of office Monday were councillors Juliette Cunningham, Catherine Lord, Patrick Nicol, Mary-Jo O’Keefe, Brian Quiring and Bob Spiers. They received some advice from Buffy Baumbrough, who was on council for six years and decided not to seek re-election. “The electorate has tasked you with making decisions on behalf of the community,” she said. “It will not be an easy or simple task.” Baumbrough and Lippert, as well as Jack Gilroy and Shawn Lee, who lost their council seats Nov. 19, were honoured for their service to the community.
As part of Monday’s meeting, appointments were made to city committees and outside agencies such as the Regional District of North Okanagan.
New council holds inaugural meeting
By JOHN MOORHOUSE/Penticton Herald Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Mayor Dan Ashton promised to open the lines of communication between city hall and the public as the new Penticton council was sworn into office Monday night. Council members, including newcomers Helena Konanz and Wes Hopkin, were given their oath of office by Judge Gale Sinclair and invocation by Pastor Darwin Pichette. In his inaugural address, Ashton admitted the city has to do a better job of communicating with local residents. “One thing we did not do very well at the city – both staff and council – is communicate with you in a consistent, easy to obtain, easy to read format,” he said. There are plans for a monthly news and city activity summary to be included in monthly utility bills, as well as enhanced use of social media in conjunction with newly revamped city website. Ashton also opened the door for input from those who rejected council‘s plans to bid for the new provincial jail in the Okanagan. “They proposed that there are alternative options for the city to consider to make Penticton more prosperous. Well, my door and mind are always open, and I am sure council‘s is,” he said. “I hope you will make the same effort expended available to the community and council to help bring your ideas to fruition.” Ashton emphasized the city has only two sources of income: revenue and taxation. “We are not immune to what is happening in the world today, and we need to continue to be cognizant of the current financial status of many of the citizens of Penticton and the ongoing employment issues this city faces.” The mayor reiterated his promise to address morale issues among city staff following two years of layoffs and fiscal belt-tightening. He added council will continue to work harder, spend smarter and govern more effectively. “Every department, every staff member, every councillor and especially the mayor will continue to be held accountable for how we spend and utilize your tax dollars,” he said. “Departmental innovation and efficiency to address expenditures and revenue will not be optional. We are going to continue to work more productively, and successes and dedication will be rewarded.” Reporting on the city‘s financial status will continue to be brought forward quarterly, with fourth-quarter results for 2011 available as quickly as possible to keep electors aware of what finances the new council has to work with at the start of its mandate.
Mayor Dan Ashton promised to open the lines of communication between city hall and the public as the new Penticton council was sworn into office Monday night. Council members, including newcomers Helena Konanz and Wes Hopkin, were given their oath of office by Judge Gale Sinclair and invocation by Pastor Darwin Pichette. In his inaugural address, Ashton admitted the city has to do a better job of communicating with local residents. “One thing we did not do very well at the city – both staff and council – is communicate with you in a consistent, easy to obtain, easy to read format,” he said. There are plans for a monthly news and city activity summary to be included in monthly utility bills, as well as enhanced use of social media in conjunction with newly revamped city website. Ashton also opened the door for input from those who rejected council‘s plans to bid for the new provincial jail in the Okanagan. “They proposed that there are alternative options for the city to consider to make Penticton more prosperous. Well, my door and mind are always open, and I am sure council‘s is,” he said. “I hope you will make the same effort expended available to the community and council to help bring your ideas to fruition.” Ashton emphasized the city has only two sources of income: revenue and taxation. “We are not immune to what is happening in the world today, and we need to continue to be cognizant of the current financial status of many of the citizens of Penticton and the ongoing employment issues this city faces.” The mayor reiterated his promise to address morale issues among city staff following two years of layoffs and fiscal belt-tightening. He added council will continue to work harder, spend smarter and govern more effectively. “Every department, every staff member, every councillor and especially the mayor will continue to be held accountable for how we spend and utilize your tax dollars,” he said. “Departmental innovation and efficiency to address expenditures and revenue will not be optional. We are going to continue to work more productively, and successes and dedication will be rewarded.” Reporting on the city‘s financial status will continue to be brought forward quarterly, with fourth-quarter results for 2011 available as quickly as possible to keep electors aware of what finances the new council has to work with at the start of its mandate.
Gray quick to put his stamp on new council
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Also see Change underway at Kelowna City Hall by Wayne Moore -Castanet Dec 6, 2011
excerpts:
In detail, those include:
- RCMP Review - "The City Manager (Ron Mattiussi) has engaged an experienced professional to objectively determine the policing resources to meet our community's expectations for a safe and protected city. The review will also be important in ensuring Kelowna's share of the regional costs of policing is fair and equitable. With the current tax year commitment of policing at $19.5M and rising costs for 2012, this is a critical question. That report is expected to come back before council at the end of January."
- Business Liaison Function - "It will not require added staffing, simply the designation of a go-to person who will be assigned the duty to deal with business related inquiries and solutions."
- Committee Cost Review - "Are they all necessary, is there value to the public and what is the real staff time cost and consequence of forming these committees? Change is inevitable and constant as our community changes. To move forward, that likely means shedding some of the committees."
- Advisory Planning Commission - "I have asked staff to prepare a report for council consideration before budget deliberations in January outlining the role of the Advisory Planning Commission (APC). What implications are there and what alternative measures are there for gaining public input into the development review process."
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
New mayor stands behind core review
Vernon’s mayor-elect is cautioning city hall staff that widespread budget cuts are not necessarily looming. Rob Sawatzky admits some city employees may be
uncertain about his victory because he campaigned for a core review of
all services. “They need to understand that’s not the point,”
he said of potential layoffs. “The best wish is a core service review
will show money is being spent in the best way it can and we change very
little. People don’t just work for money and we will do nothing by
undermining morale.” But Sawatzky, who led the polls in Saturday’s election, stands by the need to scrutinize spending. “Nobody should be afraid of a report card,” he said. “My goal is not to cut for cut sake. I want to make sure we’re engaged in a budget process that’s sustainable.” In terms of other issues, Sawatzky isn’t waiting
until Dec. 5’s swearing-in ceremony to try and tackle Vernon’s strained
relationship with Coldstream and the regional district. “I am already meeting with Mayor (Jim) Garlick
this week and that’s positive,” said Sawatzky. “The only way to resolve
these things is to communicate.” Sawatzky will not speculate on whether he will
support maintenance being carved off from the parks and recreation
function or if he will continue to defend Vernon’s stance that voting
patterns be dictated by representation-by-population. “I need to know how we got to this point (differences). That will become more clear in the next few weeks,” he
said, adding that there won’t be any quick solutions. “The public knows you should moderate your
expectations. These things take time to repair. If you think you have
all of the answers and things are everybody else’s fault, you will be
surprised.” Joining Sawatzky on council will be incumbent
councillors Bob Spiers, Patrick Nicol and Mary-Jo O’Keefe, former
councillor Juliette Cunningham and newcomers Catherine Lord and Brian
Quiring. The first step will be establishing priority issues for the upcoming three-year term. “I will consult and discuss that with council.
The mayor is not a king or dictator,” said Sawatzky. “I really hope we
don’t agree on everything. Different opinions, that’s how you come up
with good fertile ideas.”
New councillors preparing for financial challenges
Victory parties are over and Vernon’s new council is faced with difficult economic realities. The six individuals elected as councillors Saturday all insist financial planning is critical. “A lot of the talk in the election was about costs,” said Patrick Nicol, a veteran politician who topped the polls. The process is already underway for the city’s 2012 budget. “We need to put together a good financial plan,” said Nicol. Juliette Cunningham, a former councillor who was
re-elected, is keen to look at city hall operations given the
challenging times. “We have to look at fiscal issues. People are
demanding that,” she said, adding that there will also be a focus on
social issues. Newcomer Catherine Lord believes a core review of services can’t be ignored. “It’s important that we get on it fairly soon,”
said Lord, who is manager of O’Keefe Ranch. “The budget is the first
thing we’ll be looking at and we will do hiring of a new chief
administrative officer simultaneously.” Bob Spiers is back for a second term. “Hopefully we’ll have a spirit of co-operation and move the town towards some semblance of financial sustainability,” he said. “The budget comes first naturally and hopefully council will put the money up for a core service review.” Architect Brian Quiring wants his first term focused on stimulating job growth. “Vernon is open for business. We’ll see some
projects moving forward,” he said. “If there are too many resources in a
city department, they may have to be shifted over to economic
development.” Incumbent Mary-Jo O’Keefe is looking forward to sitting down with her new colleagues and seeing what direction council takes. “There’s been a lot of work just on the cusp of happening so it will be interesting to see if that continues,” she said. O’Keefe admits the loss of two councillors — Jack Gilroy and Shawn Lee — came as a complete surprise. “People didn’t tell me they were really upset with this (current) council,” she said. Lee, who is ending his first term, placed eighth out of 15 candidates. — just behind Gilroy “I’m disappointed and I would still like to be there but we live in a democracy,” said the dentist. Lee insists he and Gilroy were simply “bumped” down the list by other capable candidates that put themselves forward. “I don’t take it as a personal thing. It’s mathematical.”
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Lumby and Coldstream Mayors Look To Future
A couple of re-elected North Okanagan mayors are anxious to get back to work with their new councils. Lumby's
Kevin Acton thinks the province will put the plan for a new Okanagan
prison on the shelf until there's more funding, and by that time, more
communities may be interested. "There's a new mayor and council in just about every community in the
North Okanagan. If they really wanted to, and I hope they don't, they
could throw this back on the table six months from now and get a whole
different answer from every community in the North Okanagan." Lumby along with Summerland, and First Nations in Penticton and
Oysoyoos were shortlisted as potential sites for a new 360 cell minimum
security prison last June by the Solicitor General's office. The cost to build it could be as much as $200 million. Acton says the scrapping of the HST, and the world wide recession, have left the BC government short of cash. "I think it's going to wait until they get the money." Acton, who while not mayor runs a massage therapist business in
Lumby, wants to talk to landowners in the industrial park on how to make
their land more attractive to developers, other than for a prison. "One of the reasons we made that pitch (for a correctional facility)
was to get the infrastructure into the industrial park so we could
develop that 200 acres of industrial land, so I guess we're going to be
looking at ways to do that."
Jim Garlick is starting a second term in Coldstream. "Right away I want to get in touch with Rob Sawatzky (new Vernon mayor) to talk with him, along with our partners from Areas B and C to make sure we're all on the same page and working together." Garlick, a science teacher at Fulton Secondary, says it will take some time to get to know the new politicians which also includes new Area B director Bob Fleming, and for them to get up to speed on the issues. "And for those people already in such as Mike Macnabb (Area C) and myself, we have to be patient and help educate them and work with them, so we're not taking advantage of them, and we're working together to provide services for the entire region." Garlick also wants to move ahead with the new mechanics shop approved by 60 percent of Coldstream voters, in the referendum. "Other things are just making sure our budget for the next year is set up, so we're able to accomplish things, yet keep it within a means that people can still afford." The new councils will be inaugurated December 5th.
Jim Garlick is starting a second term in Coldstream. "Right away I want to get in touch with Rob Sawatzky (new Vernon mayor) to talk with him, along with our partners from Areas B and C to make sure we're all on the same page and working together." Garlick, a science teacher at Fulton Secondary, says it will take some time to get to know the new politicians which also includes new Area B director Bob Fleming, and for them to get up to speed on the issues. "And for those people already in such as Mike Macnabb (Area C) and myself, we have to be patient and help educate them and work with them, so we're not taking advantage of them, and we're working together to provide services for the entire region." Garlick also wants to move ahead with the new mechanics shop approved by 60 percent of Coldstream voters, in the referendum. "Other things are just making sure our budget for the next year is set up, so we're able to accomplish things, yet keep it within a means that people can still afford." The new councils will be inaugurated December 5th.
Lumby Vote Count Error
Written by Peter McIntyre
107.5 KISSFM Tuesday, 22 November 2011 12:16
An
official with the village of Lumby admits it's embarrassing, but an
error was made in the vote totals released on Saturday night. Ken Klassen, chief elections officer, says advance votes for
councillors were included twice in the totals, giving the candidates
anywhere from 53 to 103 more votes than they had. He says the numbers were recorded wrong on the ballot count sheet, which he says was an error made after a long day. However, Klassen adds that's why they are called preliminary numbers, as it gives them time to double check everything. Fortunately, the mistake didn't impact the the order of finish at all. Randal Ostafichuk was first with 397 votes (instead of 500), Lori
Mindnich second with 313 (403), Jo Anne Fisher was third with 284 (337)
and Nick Hodge got the last spot with 246 (299). Elinor Turril was fifth with 236, James Harvey 224, Judy Gibbs 219 and Murray August with 179. No errors were made in the count for the mayoralty candidates.
Ashton wins but faces close battle from two challengers
By JOHN MOORHOUSE/Penticton Herald Sunday, November 20, 2011
PENTICTON – In a mayoral election many observers said was too close to call, it ended up being the nail-biter they thought it would be. Incumbent Dan Ashton defeated challenger Julius Bloomfield by just 146 votes – 3,124 to 2,978 in Saturday‘s Penticton election. Former councillor Katie Robinson was a solid third with 1,989 votes. Bloomfield had a lead of less than a dozen votes right up to the announcement of the advance poll results which swung the final tally to Ashton. With 37 per cent of the popular vote, Ashton becomes the first Penticton mayor since Jake Kimberley in 1993 to be re-elected to consecutive terms. Kimberley also won in 2005. Ashton, commenting shortly after the tally was announced at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, admitted the final result was not a ringing endorsement and some contentious issues definitely affected the vote. “That goes to say there were some changes being contemplated by the community,” he said. “There‘s been some issues at the very end of this campaign but as we said, this council wasn‘t going to stop. We were going to continue to do business as we did.” One of those contentious issues, the sale of city land for a proposed $15-million hockey school dormitory near the South Okanagan Events Centre, is due to come up for final council approval on Monday night. The city paid $2.3 million for the nine residential lots and is selling them for $925,000. Ashton said there was definitely a lot of strong feelings over issues such as these among the electorate. “I think when those things are digested and understood a little bit better, people may realize that council was trying to do its best for the community.” An obviously disappointed Bloomfield acknowledged it was tough to lose by less than 150 votes. “It doesn‘t any closer than that,” he said. “I knew it was going to be close, but I didn‘t think it would be that close.” Bloomfield said Robinson had a stronger showing that he thought she might, which made a huge difference. He cautioned the incumbent council members against assuming the status quo is acceptable to the majority of voters. “I think it‘s a wake-up call for the old administration. They‘re going to have to take notice of what the voters have said today,” he said. “Obviously I would have liked the message to be 160 votes in the other direction. Commenting from her home Saturday night, Robinson agreed that the vote-split between herself and Bloomfield made the difference. “There was always a concern right from the start that Julius and I would split the vote – and I think that certainly played out exactly as we were concerned about,” she said. “If one or the other of us hadn‘t been there I think we would have had a totally different outcome.” Robinson expressed surprise that five of seven incumbent council members were re-elected. She, too, cautioned council against assuming that the city‘s current direction is acceptable to the majority of voters. “The results we saw tonight was not what I heard people talking about over the last few weeks. They seemed to be very dissatisfied with the current council.”
PENTICTON – In a mayoral election many observers said was too close to call, it ended up being the nail-biter they thought it would be. Incumbent Dan Ashton defeated challenger Julius Bloomfield by just 146 votes – 3,124 to 2,978 in Saturday‘s Penticton election. Former councillor Katie Robinson was a solid third with 1,989 votes. Bloomfield had a lead of less than a dozen votes right up to the announcement of the advance poll results which swung the final tally to Ashton. With 37 per cent of the popular vote, Ashton becomes the first Penticton mayor since Jake Kimberley in 1993 to be re-elected to consecutive terms. Kimberley also won in 2005. Ashton, commenting shortly after the tally was announced at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, admitted the final result was not a ringing endorsement and some contentious issues definitely affected the vote. “That goes to say there were some changes being contemplated by the community,” he said. “There‘s been some issues at the very end of this campaign but as we said, this council wasn‘t going to stop. We were going to continue to do business as we did.” One of those contentious issues, the sale of city land for a proposed $15-million hockey school dormitory near the South Okanagan Events Centre, is due to come up for final council approval on Monday night. The city paid $2.3 million for the nine residential lots and is selling them for $925,000. Ashton said there was definitely a lot of strong feelings over issues such as these among the electorate. “I think when those things are digested and understood a little bit better, people may realize that council was trying to do its best for the community.” An obviously disappointed Bloomfield acknowledged it was tough to lose by less than 150 votes. “It doesn‘t any closer than that,” he said. “I knew it was going to be close, but I didn‘t think it would be that close.” Bloomfield said Robinson had a stronger showing that he thought she might, which made a huge difference. He cautioned the incumbent council members against assuming the status quo is acceptable to the majority of voters. “I think it‘s a wake-up call for the old administration. They‘re going to have to take notice of what the voters have said today,” he said. “Obviously I would have liked the message to be 160 votes in the other direction. Commenting from her home Saturday night, Robinson agreed that the vote-split between herself and Bloomfield made the difference. “There was always a concern right from the start that Julius and I would split the vote – and I think that certainly played out exactly as we were concerned about,” she said. “If one or the other of us hadn‘t been there I think we would have had a totally different outcome.” Robinson expressed surprise that five of seven incumbent council members were re-elected. She, too, cautioned council against assuming that the city‘s current direction is acceptable to the majority of voters. “The results we saw tonight was not what I heard people talking about over the last few weeks. They seemed to be very dissatisfied with the current council.”
Lippert Backlash
Very few political pundits foresaw the major voter backlash that took place Saturday against Vernon mayor Wayne Lippert. The two term politician received 28 percent of the votes, while a
combined 72 percent voted for his challengers, Rob Sawatzky and Patrick
Davies. Lippert says growing City Hall staff levels seemed to be a sore spot, even though he feels the new hirings were justified. He told Kiss FM after the election, "I think the biggest thing when
you look at councillors that got back on, they were pushing on a core
service review and budgets, and I think that was a big thing when people
looked at what we had done." Re-elected councillor Patrick Nicol feels the so called Road Diet also was a factor in the change. "I think the 43rd Avenue issue resonated with people. That's what I heard when I went door to door." A number of businesses along 43rd were upset with the city's plan to
turn the four lane road into three lanes with a centre turning lane,
and the extra space used for bike lanes. They held a protest, and delivered a 1,000 name petition to Lippert at City Hall. Council put off a decision on the proposal to allow for more input from staff, leaving the decision up to the new council. Lippert says he's ready to start a new chapter in his life, and is honoured to have served as mayor for six years. "I get to spend a lot more time with my wife Carol and my family.
It's always hard on them, the families, whether you win or lose. This is
a very public life, and you're under a microscope." Lippert owned an auto repair business before becoming mayor. New mayor Rob Sawatzky and the new council will be sworn in on December 5th.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Hobson surprised at housecleaning
Wayne Moore - Castanet Nov 21, 2011 / 11:30 am
Veteran Kelowna City Councillor Robert Hobson expected he would see one or two new faces around the council table. What he got was five new councillors and a new mayor. Hobson says he has never seen a housecleaning like this in his 23 years at City Council. "Usually just one or two councillors change and often that only happens when people retire," says Hobson. "I can only think of a couple of councillors who have not been elected in 23 years." In 2008, Kelowna elected four new councillors (Charlie Hodge, Luke Stack Graham James and Angela Reid-Nagy), however, they were elected after Colin Day, Barrie Clark and Carol Gran retired and Norm Letnick left to test the provincial political waters. A fifth new councillor, Kevin Craig, won a by-election a year later after veteran councillor Brian Given passed away. Four of those new councillors, Hodge, James, Reid-Nagy and Craig went down to defeat Saturday as did two-term councillor Michele Rule. They'll be replaced by Gerry Zimmermann, Gail Given, Colin Basran, Maxine DeHart and Mohini Singh. "The make up is very interesting. I know some of the people quite well and I think there's quite a diversity on council and that's good," says Hobson. "I lobbied for a diverse council during the election and I got a diverse council. I think having different perspectives is good. I've always been happy with councils because the public sends us the councils and we have to make them work." While he may not be familiar with all of his new councillors he is familiar with mayor-elect Walter Gray who he served under from 1996 until 2005. "I've always said I got along fine with Walter and Sharon. I've worked over the years with lots of councils where people didn't always agree about things and we got along just fine. Over time I think you learn to understand each others perspectives." After a brief training session this new council will have to hit the ground running. One of the first orders of business will be the 2012 municipal budget which will be tackled during an all day session January 13. For the first time in Hobson's 23 years, council has directed staff to see what a zero per cent increase would look like. "It probably means a reduction in services if that's what the public want so we have to decide whether we want to go ahead with that or whether we want to consult with the public in any way about the consequences of it.." "There are a number of things to be decided I'd suggest." Meantime, City Clerk Stephen Fleming will conduct a series of orientation sessions with all eight councillors and mayor-elect Gray over the next three weeks. "It will emphasize what their role is in the policy setting and decision making process," says Fleming. "There will be very practical things such as where you sit in Council Chambers, where you sit in room 4A, this is where your offices are, this is where you park." Fleming says once the new council meets for the first time December 12 they'll all know where they are going, what their role is and how council operates."
Veteran Kelowna City Councillor Robert Hobson expected he would see one or two new faces around the council table. What he got was five new councillors and a new mayor. Hobson says he has never seen a housecleaning like this in his 23 years at City Council. "Usually just one or two councillors change and often that only happens when people retire," says Hobson. "I can only think of a couple of councillors who have not been elected in 23 years." In 2008, Kelowna elected four new councillors (Charlie Hodge, Luke Stack Graham James and Angela Reid-Nagy), however, they were elected after Colin Day, Barrie Clark and Carol Gran retired and Norm Letnick left to test the provincial political waters. A fifth new councillor, Kevin Craig, won a by-election a year later after veteran councillor Brian Given passed away. Four of those new councillors, Hodge, James, Reid-Nagy and Craig went down to defeat Saturday as did two-term councillor Michele Rule. They'll be replaced by Gerry Zimmermann, Gail Given, Colin Basran, Maxine DeHart and Mohini Singh. "The make up is very interesting. I know some of the people quite well and I think there's quite a diversity on council and that's good," says Hobson. "I lobbied for a diverse council during the election and I got a diverse council. I think having different perspectives is good. I've always been happy with councils because the public sends us the councils and we have to make them work." While he may not be familiar with all of his new councillors he is familiar with mayor-elect Walter Gray who he served under from 1996 until 2005. "I've always said I got along fine with Walter and Sharon. I've worked over the years with lots of councils where people didn't always agree about things and we got along just fine. Over time I think you learn to understand each others perspectives." After a brief training session this new council will have to hit the ground running. One of the first orders of business will be the 2012 municipal budget which will be tackled during an all day session January 13. For the first time in Hobson's 23 years, council has directed staff to see what a zero per cent increase would look like. "It probably means a reduction in services if that's what the public want so we have to decide whether we want to go ahead with that or whether we want to consult with the public in any way about the consequences of it.." "There are a number of things to be decided I'd suggest." Meantime, City Clerk Stephen Fleming will conduct a series of orientation sessions with all eight councillors and mayor-elect Gray over the next three weeks. "It will emphasize what their role is in the policy setting and decision making process," says Fleming. "There will be very practical things such as where you sit in Council Chambers, where you sit in room 4A, this is where your offices are, this is where you park." Fleming says once the new council meets for the first time December 12 they'll all know where they are going, what their role is and how council operates."
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