Looking at the results of the municipal election, it’s clear Sicamous residents weren’t entirely thrilled with the way the district has been doing business.
At the all-candidates meetings, there was a much of talk about making more of an effort to attract employment, making the district more friendly to employers and developers, and making sure the district gives locals priority when hiring.
Behind the scenes, the ongoing sewer installation was a bit of a hot potato. And then there’s the new municipal hall, over which some folks are understandably irate. Let’s face it, building what could be perceived as a monument to municipal spending in the midst of a recession, and going about it in a way that doesn’t allow for public input – well, it doesn’t matter how badly a new town hall was needed, it was a move bound to prompt some backlash. And unfortunately, folks tend to remember the negative more than the good when going to the polls.
Speaking of negative, Sicamous also had a small taste of attack campaigning in this election. That appeared to leave a bad taste in the mouths of some voters. There was also the usual, disrespectful (and illegal) ripping out and running down of candidate’s signs.
Politics is called a blood sport for a reason. Overall, however, the election was fairly civil.
The outgoing mayor and councillors need to be congratulated for all the work they’ve put in on behalf of the community. In Sicamous, you certainly don’t enter politics for the pay.
And of course, congratulations are due to the incoming mayor and councillors, new and returning. There’s a lot of energy there which will definitely be needed as the world, and Sicamous, face challenging times.
Sicamous’ new mayor and council will be sworn in on Dec. 5, and then it’s down to business. That business will not always be to everyone’s liking, but so long as it’s conducted in the community’s best interest, council will be on the right track.