C10. THIS MAYOR AND HIS ADMINISTRATION

C10.:

My Post-Election Reflections

First, I would like to express my deeply felt appreciation to all residents who obviously understood and supported my wishful suggestions for a “new crew” regarding the Town’s elected Administration.

Especially, I would like to thank all the people including new acquaintances, who stopped me and talked to me in the streets, e-mailed me and/or phoned me to share my concerns and hopes for a necessary change.

Well, the outcome did not show a “victory change”. Instead of a majority of four new Councillors - I had wished for - only three new but really good ones became elected. Even if they work together very well they will not be able to block any and all motions brought to the table which may not favour the majority of residents. At least one Councillor of the “old Guard” will have to be with them. But it may be a promising start.

The situation on the Mayor’s re-election is entirely different. Out of 1,332 valid votes 790 votes or almost 60% (the overwhelming majority) of the electors/residents (including me) voted for change and against Mayor Stead. Amongst the four candidates, Bob Stead got 542 votes or 40.69% while Jeff Cantwell achieved with 512 votes or 38.44% the second place only. The remaining almost 21% of votes were divided between the other two candidates, Garry Balcom and George Townsend. It is not difficult to predict that Bob Stead would not have become re-elected as Mayor if there would have been three candidates or even two in total only. Of course, having been in power for eleven years and additional nine as a Councillor should have made Bob Stead at least some friends.

Our election system does not seem to be sufficient enough and could even be questioned as a democratic one. Despite the fact that it does not include a limit for additional terms of candidates to give new faces the chance for new approaches, new and maybe better ideas and new sets of priorities and directions to do well for a permanently changing municipality, it is nice to know and understand that there are countries on this globe which have a different and more democratic election system established. In a situation as above, the two top candidates would have to undergo a second election process again until one would really emerge with the majority of votes, which means more than 50%.

I hope and wish that the re-elected Mayor would understand his responsibilities towards all residents a little different and would stop bragging about “personal accomplishments” like “First Fair Trade Town” and first Town with a “No-Smoking-in- Cars-with-Children By-law”. The single “Just Us! Café” was opened here in Wolfville by accident, because its founder lived close by. What is the accomplishment of Mayor Stead, except for doing free marketing and free advertising for the Café, co-founded by Councillor Mangle and why does one Café make Wolfville a “Fair Trade Town”? And what is his accomplishment regarding the above By-law when he should have been aware that it would become Provincial law months later and that the police are unable to really enforce it due to lack of manpower? Was it just a nice gimmick for the Mayor to appear on TV?

Good luck to a Mayor, who the overwhelming majority of voters rejected!

Lutz E. Becker / Nov. 30, 2008