Delta could be seeing a familiar face in the mayor’s seat, as former Delta police chief Jim Cessford takes a shot at the big chair.
Cessford retired as police chief in 2015, and said that even before he left policing people had prodded him towards politics. Last election season, he said, someone dropped off a package for him at the police department with the instructions that they wanted him to open it right away.
“I got the package, opened it up, and it was the package for running for mayor,” he said. “I thought police chief was a lot of work to do. Running for mayor at that time was not something I had thought about.”
Now, Cessford said it’s time to see what more he can do for Delta.
“I’ve been a public servant for most of my life,” he said. “I’m ready to move on and do the work of the mayor of Delta.
“I’m good to go with it,” he continued. “I have the skill set, I have the attributes.”
If election, Cessford said he plans to bring a new perspective to Delta council and come up with a long-term plan for the city.
“We need to work with the community,” he said, “and in concert with the community we need to develop an overall plan for it so that everybody knows where we’re going, what the direction is and what costs are associated with that direction.”
Cessford will be at the helm of the Independents Working for You slate, a group which will include current councillors Bruce McDonald and Jeannie Kanakos, as well as new candidates Sandeep Pandher and Garry Shearer. It will also include school board trustee candidates Laura Dixon and Nick Kanakos.
“When I learned the Jim Cessford was going to be putting his name forward, and he approached me to join the team, that really sealed the deal for me,” Jeannie Kanakos said about running for re-election. She ran with the Independents Working for You last election, as did McDonald, Dixon and Nick Kanakos.
“We said let’s just move forward with this approach,” she continued about the past team. “Basically we share a passion for our community, we respect a range of points of view and by listening to a range of points of view, you end up with a better decision.”
Cessford echoed Kanakos’ comments about the non-partisan approach to the slate.
“I’m encouraging independent thinking, and that people bring their own ideas and opinions to the table, and to do what they think is the best thing for the people in Delta,” Cessford said. “We may not all agree on some issues, but that’s okay.”
Although Cessford hasn’t had an official campaign launch, he said the media can expect one soon. He knows the community will be able to come to an official event on June 19, he said.
Cessford is the third person to announce they will be running for mayor in the 2018 election.
Councillor Sylvia Bishop put her name down back in March with Team Delta, and former city manager George Harvie announced his intentions on May 22 with the Achieving for Delta slate.
The municipal election will take place on Oct. 20, 2018.
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