By Dominic Abassi

Veteran Nanaimo councillor Diane Brennan won’t run for re-election

Jun 26, 2018 | 5:53 PM

NANAIMO — “I think I’m the worse for these past four years but I’m the better for my overall experience on council.”

Those are the words of coun. Diane Brennan as she weighed the impact her most recent tumultuous term on Nanaimo Council had on her decision to step away from public life.

In an exclusive interview with NanaimoNewsNOW, Brennan confirmed she will not run in this October’s municipal election, instead turning her attention to her family and eight grandchildren.

“I just want to be able to give them the time I want to. It’s hard when they come to visit and I have to be in meetings all the time,” Brennan said. “I looked back and said ‘I’ve accomplished things I wanted to and it’s fair to turn it over to new people with new ideas and strategies.’”

A four-term councillor, Brennan was first elected to council in 2002 following five years on the school board in the late 80s and early 90s. After being re-elected in 2005, she launched an unsuccessful mayoral bid in 2008. After a few years on the sidelines, she was supported by voters again in 2011 and 2014.

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Brennan’s most recent term on council placed her at odds with the majority of councillors on most occasions and she was a frequent target for the displeasure of former chief administrative officer Tracy Samra. Brennan was censured by her colleagues for allegedly leaking confidential information and was further rapped over claims she created an untenable work environment for Samra.

She called the experience “gruelling,” saying it played a “huge part” in her decision not to stand for re-election.

“I’d be crazy if I said it didn’t take a toll…I don’t think I’m quite the same person I was when I started in 2014. I think I’ve become a little more cynical.”

Brennan, 67, plans to take at least a year away from most everything in the community to recoup.

“So many things that happened are contrary to any best practice I’m aware of, any other city I haven’t seen anything like this. It was really discouraging day after day. I can’t make sense of it.”

Brennan spoke proudly of the accomplishments she was a part of with other councils, including the precedent-setting decision to allow legal secondary suites, standing firm against opposition to create social housing, raising the profile of arts and culture as an economic driver and developing province-leading regulations on protection around bodies of water.

She said she’s not proud of what City of Nanaimo staff endured over her most recent term.

“There are many losses from this last term and it was very sad to see the people with knowledge and ability go.”

She noted healing appears to be taking place. “The mood has shifted and you can feel it. It’s absolutely palpable when you go into any of the City facilities. You’ll find the staff are buoyant, bubbly, happy and that’s a significant change. I’m glad I was a part of the shift back.”

Looking ahead, Brennan wouldn’t make any election predictions, but hoped the electorate puts more women on council, and more diversity in terms of ethnicity to “Make a council that actually reflects the face of Nanaimo today.”

Brennan is the first of the current Council to publicly confirm their intentions for October, although it was reported coun. Jim Kipp also won’t seek re-election.

dom@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @domabassi