Qualicum Beach’s long-standing mayor is in for a rough ride the next three years on town council. Anyone closely watching the buildup to, and results from, the November civic election would have seen a fundamental shift coming in the makeup of town council.
When only two incumbents decided to run for re-election, there was an unprecedented (in recent history) chance for council newcomers (or in the case of Bill Luchtmeijer and Scott Tanner, returnees) to make a change. And that they did. Mayor Teunis Westbroek now finds himself facing a council that wants to limit his role.
Westbroek is undoubtedly concerned by this, but he is wrong to state that a decision of council to unseat him from his position at the Regional District of Nanaimo, is undemocratic.
It’s democracy at its most simple form. A majority vote to make a decision of council. And the policy from there has been to proceed as a united front — but that was easier coming from the winning side.
Westbroek finds himself now in a minority on many issues favoured by a block of three councillors. It changes the dynamic on council, but for an experienced mayor like Westbroek, there’s an opportunity to wield a subtle influence to be the kind of statesman that works with change — yet not forgetting that a lot of people want to maintain the village character of Qualicum Beach.
Westbroek needs to ensure, as well, that the trio of votes on town council do not forget this fact as they undoubtedly will push for as much as they can get in the next three years.
This time around, the mayor has to be council’s conscience.
— editorial by Steven Heywood
