Langley City and Langley Township councils have a decidedly different look, as a result of Saturday’s elections.
In the city, three new councillors will add differing perspectives to council discussions. Mayor Ted Schaffer, who can now take “acting” out of his title, will also bring a new approach to the mayor’s job. He will be quieter than his predecessor Peter Fassbender and will likely be doing more behind-the-scenes work.
The issue of crime on the streets and in parks and other public spaces will be a major one that council needs to address. While the current council has added some measures to try and deal with these situations, it isn’t simply a matter of resources. The City will have to do more lobbying of federal and provincial representatives to get their assistance in dealing with issues like mental health, parole, probation and repeat offenders.
The Township election was more than just a matter of replacing three pro-development councillors with two new pro-development councillors and one with much more of an environmental approach.
There was clearly some dissatisfaction with council over process — particularly how citizens learn of proposed changes to their neighbourhoods. There is also some anger over just how Willoughby has developed.
The new council will need to work closely with the board of education, and particularly with the two Langley MLAs, to get a new high school approved for Willoughby as quickly as possible.
It will also have to deal with what may be shaping up as an environmental challenge of the first magnitude, the construction of the East Langley water line through the Salmon River corridor.
While development will continue to proceed in Langley Township, the new council needs to ask more questions during the approval process and listen carefully to concerns raised by residents at open houses and public hearings.
If a development does not fit into a neighbourhood, council should have no compunction in rejecting it.
Congratulations to all the winners on Saturday night. Best wishes to all the candidates who ran, and thank you for your substantial contribution to the democratic process.
In particular, all the best to the four incumbents who lost their jobs on Saturday — Township councillors Steve Ferguson, Bev Dornan and Grant Ward and City trustee Candy Ashdown. Thanks for your time and efforts on behalf of Langley residents.
