Municipal Election Watch – West Shore of Vancouver Island, BC
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The Colwood Race
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No Official Slate in Sooke
As published in the August 3, 2018 print/PDF issue of West Shore Voice News
August 3, 2018 ~ COLWOOD. A new name in the race for Colwood council is Michael Baxter. A Colwood resident, Baxter officially confirmed this week that he is planning to run in the October 20 municipal election. Nominations officially open September 4.
Baxter has over 40 years experience working for municipal governments in the UK and BC, including 10 years working for Colwood as the Director of Engineering. He has worked part-time as a consultant since his retirement from government.
“I feel that I would bring a strong knowledge of Colwood and the workings of municipal government to this role,” said Baxter in his announcement news release. “I have long had a passion for this community and would like to continue to contribute to its success.”
Baxter was the staff lead for the high-profile Solar Colwood project several years ago that saw a grant of $3.9 million come to the City to support installation of solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations and numerous energy saving projects that have saved homeowners money on their energy bills. He also itemized in his news release that he led the successful resolution of the City’s past sewer challenges, and the completion of the Wale Road project.
“Municipal work can be complex,” he says, “but I have a lot of experience in making change happen,” said Baxter. www.MichaelBaxterinColwood.ca
Running for Mayor of Colwood, known to date, are current Mayor Carol Hamilton and two-term Colwood Councillor Rob Martin. Councillor incumbents seeking re-election include Cynthia Day, Gordie Logan and Jason Nault.
Current councillors Terry Trace and Lilja Chong are not seeking re-election. Therefore, of the present six-seat
council that leaves three seats open, which heralds a big change in the face and possibly direction of Colwood in the next four years.
Issues in the Colwood race are likely to include the Official Community Plan and overall community development including greenspace preservation, sewer expansion, challenges to overall housing affordability, transportation as relates to employment commuting, and the local economy including jobs.
August 3, 2018 ~ SOOKE. The idea of slates. As the municipal election season warms up, we will continue to bring you various insights and clarifications about local politics.
In Sooke, there is no slate of candidates (i.e. more than one candidate running a joint campaign) in Sooke, as was rumoured this past week but clarified as not the case this week by Mayor Maja Tait and Councillor Ebony Logins. Jeff Bateman who is also running for Sooke council was contacted for comment but so far no reply.
While any two or more candidates may have similar views on issues in the community, to date there is no declaration of any slates in any of the west shore municipalities for this fall’s election.
Logins says that in the 2014 election she and Tait used the same campaign manager — Diane Bernard. That, in and of itself, does not make an official slate (i.e. two or more names presented to the voters for consideration as a block).
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