by Roxanne Hooper /Black Press
Langley City residents have a new mayor.
Voters have chosen one-term council member Val van Den Broek to replace retiring mayor Ted Schaffer.
Van den Broek, 45, won by a slim margin — just 206 votes — over challenger, and former City mayor, Peter Fassbender.
The mayor-elect is a Blacklock resident who’s lived in Langley for 18-plus years. She’s a federal public servant with the RCMP, who first ran for a councillor position in 2014 – successfully.
In that election, she received 1,864 votes out of the 4,187 votes cast within the City.
Van den Broek won the mayor’s chair on Saturday night with 50 per cent or 2,446 of the total votes.
“I’m so excited. I’m the mayor,” Van den Broek told Black Press, shortly after the results were announced.
“I’m beyond excited. This is what I wanted. I know I’m the person for the job.”
Fassbender earned 2,240 or just under 46 per cent of the vote.
Fassbender announced his own defeat when the election results were sent to his phone ahead of the official announcment, telling supporters “Langley City has a new mayor, Val van den Broek.”
Serena Oh came a distant third with 146 votes for 3 per cent.
Fassbender, 71, is a marketing and communications consultant who served as a two-term school trustee, one term on council, and three terms as mayor.
RECENT CHAT WITH PETER: Langley City: Peter Fassbender talks development, homelessness
After more than 19 years on council and five as mayor, Schaffer announced his retirement earlier this spring – in part due to some health issues.
RECENT COVERAGE: Schaffer looks back on time as Langley City’s accidental mayor
Coun. Nathan Pachal, who was elected in a byelection to replace the late Dave Hall, topped the polls with 2,573 or 52.6 per cent of the vote.
“I was a bit nervous,” Pachal said, “because a byelection is a byelection (not a full election campaign).”
“I’m extremely happy.”
Pachal views the poll results as an endorsement of his campaign and first council term.
“I presented solutions,” Pachal said.
He said over the next four years, he expects there will be progress on homelessness and affordable housing, but expects rapid transit will be a challenge.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Pachal said.
Next came Rosemary Wallace, a former City councillor who left to serve a term as school trustee. She got 2,276 or 46. 5 per cent.
Incumbent Paul Albrecht placed third with 2,100 votes.
He was followed by long-time councillor Gayle Martin, 1,840, Rudy Storteboom, 1,827 and former City councillor Teri James, with 1,818 votes.
Two school trustees elected to represent the City are Tony Ward and Shelley Coburn.
The remainder of the council candidates finished as follows:
Bruce Kilby – 1,768
Andrew Mercier – 1690
Jeff Jacobs – 1294
Mike Solyom – 1109
Jack Arnold (incumbent) – 1017
David Stingl – 785
Dana Miller – 723
Randy Caine – 695
Dave Allison – 530
Corey Doherty – 425
For school trustee:
Candy Ashdown – 1805
Marshall Austin – 1075
Sindy Jeffrey – 911
Among the 18,332 eligible voters, 4,891 people or 26.7 per cent actually cast ballots.
The new council will be sworn in during the inaugural meeting of council on Monday, Nov. 5, 7 p.m. at City hall.
