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Peninsula councillors undecided on re-election as mayors declare early

Updated Jan. 9, 2018 with comments from Mayor Alice Finall.
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Sidney council and mayoral candidates in the 2014 civic election: Rosemarie Bongers; Mike Barwick; Steve Price; Steve Duck; Don Amos, and; Cliff McNeil-Smith. (Steven Heywood/News staff file)

Updated Jan. 9, 2018 with comments from Mayor Alice Finall.

With the 2018 municipal election slated for October 20, 2018, most of the CRD’s mayors have decided to stand for re-election, including Mayor Steve Price of Sidney and Mayor Ryan Windsor of Central Saanich.

The Peninsula News Review emailed councillors from Sidney, Central Saanich, and North Saanich, to see if they would run again. Every councillor that responded said that they either had not decided, or did not answer directly.

In Central Saanich, Alicia Holman said that “there is still a lot to do (affordable housing, local food, climate action, active transportation, service integration, fiscal control, municipal planning to name a few) and the election is several months away.”

“In my view, these issues should be the focus of our time and energy, not campaigning for a fall 2018 election,” she said, adding that “the residents and taxpayers in Central Saanich will help guide me in making the decision to run for reelection later in the fall.”

Bob Thompson, also of Central Saanich, said that he would decide by September. Niall Paltiel said he was focused on “improving road safety, addressing key issues for our farmers and increasing the housing supply so that families can live and work in our community.”

Their Sidney counterparts, Peter Wainwright and Barbara Fallot, both said that it was too early.

Mervyn Lougher-Goodey said that he “will have served ten years by the end of this term and I need to reflect if I feel I have sufficient energy to continue serving the community.”

In North Saanich, Coun. Heather Gartshore said that her “main interest is in continuing to advocate for good governance,” but that she is “certainly being encouraged to run for a second term, and will be giving that serious consideration in the coming months.”

North Saanich mayor Alice Finall responded Jan. 9, saying she had not yet made a decision to stand for re-election.

This article will be updated as more councillors respond.





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