ItB次元官网网址檚 more than a year away, but the civic election in Sidney is already looking like it could be quite uncivil.
Two community organizations are this month considering how involved they wish to be in the October 2018 municipal election. One group is already looking at organizing potential nominees to run as a slate against five incumbent members of council, including the mayor.
Richard Talbot, a retail consultant who has been at loggerheads with the current council over commercial development in town, is leading the most active group. ItB次元官网网址檚 an offshoot of the Support Our Sidney (SOS) group that began in protest of plans to build the Sidney Gateway (now Sidney Crossing) retail and commercial project. They are already calling for people to be part of a working group that will solicit potential nominees to run for council and for the mayorB次元官网网址檚 chair.
Talbot is pulling no punches about the groupB次元官网网址檚 intent B次元官网网址� he is using the slogan B次元官网网址淢ake Sidney Priceless Again!B次元官网网址� in emails. He told the B次元官网网址 Review itB次元官网网址檚 a deliberate emphasis on finding someone who will challenge B次元官网网址� and potentially replace B次元官网网址� Mayor Steve Price.
B次元官网网址淭he goal of this group is to remove the B次元官网网址楪ateway FiveB次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� Talbot said, adding their beef with the current council of a land rezoning to enable the development to proceed, during what he termed B次元官网网址渁n appalling public hearing.B次元官网网址�
TalbotB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址楪ateway FiveB次元官网网址� are councilors Cam McLennan, Peter Wainwright, Mervyn Lougher-Goodey, Tim Chad and Price. Councillors Barbara Fallot and Erin Bremner-Mitchell are not being targeted specifically. The latter two councillors voted against rezoning land to accommodate potential commercial development at that 2016 public hearing.
The is also the root of the formation of the SOS itself. The group feels such a commercial site would be to the detriment of downtown businesses.
In a letter to the PNR following the online publication of this story (Price was asked to comment prior to publication), Mayor Steve Price called the SOSB次元官网网址檚 plans for the 2018 municipal election B次元官网网址渄isappointing,B次元官网网址� adding B次元官网网址淩ichard Talbot and his B次元官网网址� organization continue on with their campaign of negativity and fear.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淎s Mayor of the town of Sidney, and previously as a two-term councillor, I prefer to approach things on a more positive and community-minded note,B次元官网网址� Price stated.
B次元官网网址淚 do not intend on letting our town or our residents down and will be running for mayor again in 2018,B次元官网网址� Price continued. B次元官网网址淥ur residents will have a clear choice to make B次元官网网址� elect an experienced mayor and council who will keep our town prosperous, positive, friendly and progressive, or hand it over to special interest slates who will jeopardize SidneyB次元官网网址檚 success for isolated and impractical reasons.B次元官网网址�
A second group, the Sidney Community Association (SCA), is also considering the next civic election. President Jocelyn Gifford said she mentioned the upcoming election at their annual general meeting in June, stating it should be on their radar and they should be considering just how involved they wish to be.
She said itB次元官网网址檚 very early in discussions among their board and membership, adding they will have to talk about how involved they wish to be and how that might affect their non-partisan status. Gifford added some of their members are also members of the SOS, however the organizations have different approaches B次元官网网址渙n how to conduct ourselves.B次元官网网址�
She said while itB次元官网网址檚 very early to be talking about the election, she expects a conversation will be had at a meeting of the board and SCA members in September.
Talbot said thereB次元官网网址檚 another group in Sidney also considering the next election, but he would not say who they were, as he is not privy to their position. He did say he feels all three groups should consider coming together, to avoid vote-splitting.
He added his group already has commitments from six people who wish to be part of an election committee. Talbot said theyB次元官网网址檝e also spoken with potential candidates, but said because itB次元官网网址檚 so early, and full decisions have not yet been made, he would not name them.
He said he expects more activity with the group after Labour Day.
Wainwright, in response to a PNR email for comment, had little to say.
B次元官网网址淢y only comment is that I think itB次元官网网址檚 too early to start the campaign for next yearB次元官网网址檚 municipal election,B次元官网网址� he wrote.
In an email, Lougher-Goodey noted that the SCA B次元官网网址渁re hard working and attend every council and committee of the whole and provide thoughtful comments on the issues of the day.B次元官网网址�
He said he hasnB次元官网网址檛 made up his mind on whether to enter the fray in 2018 and, as is his practice, doesnB次元官网网址檛 expect to do so until closer to the actual election period.
B次元官网网址淲e are more than a year away and a lot can happen over the year to influence my decision.B次元官网网址�
The B次元官网网址 Review asked all five councillors and the mayor for comment. We will update the story as responses are received.
editor@peninsulanewsreview.com
