New mid-Island councils offer distinct, local voices: VIU instructor

Mayor-elect Leonard Krog pointed out during an election night interview that Nanaimo “has taken a fairly green turn…we’ll see what the implications of that are”, MacKenzie offered an optimistic view of the next four years.

“He (Krog) has managed to run a pretty functional council here, he knows what he’s doing, he knows how to navigate the disagreements on council and still get things done.”

Krog is leading Nanaimo council for a third term after transitioning away from provincial politics in 2018.

While Geselbracht, Manly and Eastmure are left-leaning, sustainability-minded politicians receiving the most votes for council, MacKenzie said he was struck to see the three main provincial party leaders “completely ignored’ green issues during the recent snap election campaign.

MacKenzie said the contrast speaks to the mixed bag of how local councils are made up across the province based on local desires.

“That’s what we should expect, and that is why we actually hold municipal elections because there are different issues and different preferences in all of these different municipalities right across the province.”

Tamara Kronis, Nanaimo-Ladysmith Member of Parliament, viewed municipal election night results with great interest, which included underdog mayoral candidate Sarah Lovegrove eroding Krog’s support.

Kronis said the “big issues” facing Nanaimo showed up in the local election results.

“People are worried about the cost of living, they’re worried about the addictions crisis here in Nanaimo and people really want to be able to build a life here,” Kronis told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Approaching growth appeared to factor heavily into how other local councils were formed.

In Parksville, council newcomers Shelly McCullough and Ralph Tietjen spoke strongly in favour of the need for more affordable/diverse forms of housing.

The third new councillor in Parksville, Frank Bailey, openly declared that he didn’t live in the community, but still seemed to resonate with voters.

Bailey strongly articulated the importance of slowing development until Parksville’s water security issues are solved.

Mary Beil, Parksville mayor-elect, also emphasized the priority of finding additional water supply and storage capabilities.

Lantzville’s council was overhauled, with acclaimed Mayor Mark Swain joined by a team of three new councillors and just one incumbent (Jonathan Lerner), as two incumbents were dispatched.

How acute infrastructure deficits and a lack of cash flow intersect with Lantzville’s semi-rural lifestyle has been a longstanding, often divisive debate in the seaside community of about 4,000 people.

Fresh voices appear primed to entertain a new direction in Lantzville.

Rookie Coun. Scott Mack received the most support in the recent election.

Mack’s platform featured bolstering Lantzville’s commercial/industrial tax base and improved infrastructure.

“He seems like a really interesting councillor because he has this background in both environmental design and in business development, so we’ll see how he functions on council,” MacKenzie said of Mack.

New councils hold their inaugural meetings over the next two weeks, with Nanaimo’s council being sworn into office on the evening of Monday, Nov. 9.

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by Ian Holmes

New mid-Island councils offer distinct, local voices: VIU instructor

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