Three veteran politicians vie for the top seat in Colwood

Campaign signs have popped up, signaling the time for residents to choose a new council.

In Colwood, with the mayor stepping aside and two councillors leaving their seats, thereB次元官网网址檚 guaranteed to be some new faces at the council table next term.

Each of the three people vying for the mayorB次元官网网址檚 chair have served on council. All say more transparency is needed regarding what goes on in the chambers of city hall. The Gazette talked to each candidate about this and their other priority issues.

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Carol Hamilton, 56, is running for mayor for the second time. She served one term as councillor, then was defeated in the 2008 mayorB次元官网网址檚 race, but stayed active on City committees waiting for her chance to return to the council table.

During her council term, Hamilton supported the Colwood City Centre high rise development and the official community plan. She said she is in favour of high-density development and would also like to focus on attracting more commercial development to Colwood.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 realistic about the needs of this community,B次元官网网址� said Hamilton, a businesswoman and owner of Joe the Bartender. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not realistic to promise no tax increase or to say weB次元官网网址檒l stop development. We need to get money somewhere.B次元官网网址�

She says government transparency could easily be improved with better communication.

B次元官网网址淢aybe it means improving the Alcatraz of a website the City has,B次元官网网址� Hamilton said, noting sheB次元官网网址檇 like to see the website redesigned and to have draft minutes from meetings to go online as fast as possible.

SheB次元官网网址檇 work to engage more members of the public and invite them to participate in council committees.

B次元官网网址淚 want to foster a spirit of co-operation with whatever council is elected,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 welcome a diversity of ideas and views from councillors and the public. IB次元官网网址檇 encourage discussion of everyoneB次元官网网址檚 ideas.B次元官网网址�

That includes taking a serious look at the question of amalgamation. Hamilton would have City staff look into the issue and, if warranted, take the question to a non-binding referendum vote.

Hamilton said Colwood is at a crossroads and needs a strong, committed leader B次元官网网址� such as herself B次元官网网址� to guide it into the future.

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Jason Nault, 58, is hoping to return to politics after taking the last council term off for travel and to wrap up his career as a research scientist with the BC Forest Service. Now retired, he said heB次元官网网址檒l finally have the time to dedicate to being mayor.

B次元官网网址淧eople asked me to run last term, but the timing wasnB次元官网网址檛 right,B次元官网网址� he said.

Nault served three terms as councillor before resigning his seat. In that time he served on every major committee, including as chair of transportation committee, and was an alternate director on the Capital Regional District board.

As a councillor, he advocated for lower-density development, and holds onto the view that ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 skyline shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be filled high rises. He doesnB次元官网网址檛 think Colwood should allow buildings higher than eight storeys.

B次元官网网址淚 tried to have maximum building heights included in the official community plan, but the idea was voted down,B次元官网网址� he said, noting he would ask the new council to amend the OCP to stipulate building heights, if elected.

Like fellow candidates, Nault said increasing government transparency is important. As mayor, he said heB次元官网网址檇 limit in-camera discussions to the legal minimum.

He also vowed to post online a detailed list of his expenses as mayor, as well as a list of the meetings he had scheduled on a weekly basis.

B次元官网网址淚f weB次元官网网址檙e considering development proposals B次元官网网址� like the current council is doing for Royal Bay lands B次元官网网址� it shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be behind closed doors,B次元官网网址� Nault said. B次元官网网址淭he public should be involved early.B次元官网网址�

To keep taxes down, Nault said heB次元官网网址檇 review current spending on City services and look for ways to save money, potentially by contracting out inefficient operations.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 expect thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of frivolous spending, but thereB次元官网网址檚 always room to improve,B次元官网网址� Nault said.

Nault would like to see money set aside to make Colwood City Hall more welcoming to the public.

B次元官网网址淕oing in there, itB次元官网网址檚 like walking into a morgue,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think weB次元官网网址檇 have to spend a lot to improve it.B次元官网网址�

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Brian Tucknott, 69, is serving his first term as councillor and hopes to return to the table as the mayor. He promises a more open and transparent government and no B次元官网网址渕unicipally-generatedB次元官网网址� tax increases.

Tucknott has consistently voted against adding new items to the CityB次元官网网址檚 budget. He says taxes are too high and, while he admits he canB次元官网网址檛 control increasing RCMP and CRD costs that are paid through municipal taxes, he said he wouldnB次元官网网址檛 add any new costs in municipal operations.

New programs would be funded by cuts, or increasing efficiency, in other areas. For example, he says the City could save a lot of money by integrating its services with other municipalities. He would like to share public works operations with Metchosin and contract all of ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 IT needs out to Langford.

Ultimately, he supports the idea of amalgamating the municipalities and would hold a referendum on that issue: B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 time we start asking those questions,B次元官网网址� he said.

To increase transparency, Tucknott said he would encourage more public engagement by holding informal public drop-in times on Saturdays at City Hall.

He would minimize in-camera meetings to only whatB次元官网网址檚 legally necessary and, for regular meetings, heB次元官网网址檇 hire a stenographer to take more detailed meeting minutes.

B次元官网网址淚 would encourage opposition,B次元官网网址� Tucknott said, citing this as something the current administration doesnB次元官网网址檛 do.

Tucknott was removed from all council committees and task forces last year for making disparaging remarks about how the City is run.

But he says, while he struggled with the leadership style of current mayor Dave Saunders, he has a background in negotiations from a career as an airline pilot.

He headed a union of pilots and became an advisor for the International Federation of Airline Pilot Associations. He is now a semi-retired aviation consultant.

Tucknott said there are many things he wants to do to spruce up Colwood, including turning the lawn of City Hall into community garden allotments and beautifying the boulevards.

B次元官网网址淧eople I talk to call us B次元官网网址榯he dog patch of the West ShoreB次元官网网址� ... Our community looks scruffy and run down compared to Langford and View Royal,B次元官网网址� he said, adding that the public works department is under utilized. B次元官网网址淚t wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be a huge expense to make things a little nicer to look at.B次元官网网址�

B.C. municipal elections are Nov. 19, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Advanced voting is Nov. 9 and 16, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Colwood residents vote at Colwood city hall, 3300 Wishart Rd.

reporter@goldstreamgazette.com