_of life issues. And she Indecision, secrecy push The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, December 23, 1998 - A5 down council’s grades — Terrace Standard reporter Jeff Nagel takes his annual subjective and irreverent look back at city council's performance over the last year. As 1999 is an election year for city council, the voters will pass final judgment when they go to the polls next November. JACK TALSTRA: B+ Run silent, run deep, Jack Talstra traded his mayor’s gavel for a subma- tine captain’s periscope and allowed city council to slip deeper into secrecy in 1998. Issues that have no business being secret often turned up at in-camera meetings. And Talsira’s “think tank” sessions are an all-out free-for-all for discussion of the city’s key issues and goals for the future safely out of the public eye. Yeah, sure council got stung by its mishandling of - issues like the farmer’s market and skateboard park. And yes, every lime some councillors open their mouths there’s a risk something troublesome might come out. These, however, are some of the burdens of democracy. less of a hassle to oper- ale a local government under the Talstra-style cone of silence. But il’s not responsible to the people council is elected to serve. The mayor softened his tone somewhat on secrecy late in the year, hinting at a review of the city’s in-camera practices. Although he attended . the B.C. Liberal party’s convention this year (he actually professes to be more of a federal Liberal), Talstra doesn’t let Jack Talstra provincial political considerations stop him from . doing what he thinks is right. He came out in support of the Nisga’a treaty and | opposed provincial Liberal leader Gordon Campbell’s demand for a referendum, calling it tao, divisive. oatabt upra And he castigated ‘both Campbell and Premier Glen Clark for politica) opportunism on the treaty when some vision and statesmanship is needed. Talstra has managed to harness the support system developed between northwest mayors from the 1997. Skeena Cellulose crisis and put that unified front te work on other issues. Numerous letters went out under signature of all northwest mayors on several different issues, from health care and gasoline pricing to ferry service and Hwy 37 road conditions. Accountability issues aside, Talstra remains a strong, experienced fighter for the city and the region who’s really without equal in northwestern B.C. LINDAHAWES: B Is councillor Hawes in municipal politics for the love of potholes and zoning debates? Or is it merely her springboard to provincial politics? That remains a valid question as Hawes continues to juggle her hats as a city councillor and as a lead- ing lieutenant in the region to Gordon Campbell and the B.C. Liberals. The juggling act became trickiest during the Nisga’a treaty debate, when councillor Hawes waf- fled vigourously on the issue while less ambitious B.C. Liberals on council came out in support of the treaty. She also helped push through a bylaw banning slot machines in Terrace as an added obstacle to any provincial government attempt to allow a casino here —a meas- g ure whose value seemed more political than practical. In general, however, Hawes avoids the cheap shots that make a farce of partisan city councils in some other towns. Councillor Hawes led the effort to set up a Social Planning Commission in the [RRgaee city to elevate quality § - 1 wdshe = Linda Hawes joined councillor Hull in favouring a move of the farmer’s market and supporting installation of condom machines in city buildings. She was also the councillor most closely con- nected to the somewhat secretive planning of the multiplex, a project that grew in cost from early estimates of $2 to $4 million to more than $11 million. If the project is to have a better shot at success than the previous second sheet of ice, it’ll need bet- ter clarity as to how it'll be financed and how much the average taxpayer will have to fork over. If Hawes can help solve the affordability problem and stickhandle this potentially divisive issue through to the goal, it'll be an ideal record on which to run for re-election next November. But perhaps other political battlefields will beckon by that lime anyway. It may be easier and wend a! Tspen! als ayo wre pean _ ACCESSIBILITY Report Card CITY COUNCIL IN 1998 GOOD FISCAL PRUDENCE PLANNING DECISIVENESS ‘TEAMWORK OPENNESS SATISFACTORY FAIL RICH McDANIEL: C+ Mr. Skateboard Park. Councillor McDaniel has come to be associated with little other than his driving goal of getting a skateboard park built. And for a while it looked like his one issue was facing unsurmountable obstacles, foremost among them being council’s inability to make a firm deci- sion on a location. (Incidentally it was council indecisiveness on the skateboard park site that led farmer’s market reps to feel insecure about their site, sparking council’s biggest headache of ‘98.) Finally the skateboard park site is settled and it looks like the thing may actually get built in 1999, a tribute to councillor McDaniel’s efforts and tena- ciousness. Now if he can just get the voting age lowered to about 14. Councillor McDaniel’s tendency to be undiplomatic and at times downright com- bative came aut in run- ins with farmers’ mar- ket organizers in 1998. One memorable exchange saw Rich try to enforce his own selective memory of things he’d said about the market upon a dis- believing audience. It wasn’t the first time observers scratched their heads quizzically as McDaniel revised his past words and actions to suit the needs of the present. Councillor McDaniel gave somewhat vague sup- port of the Nisga‘a treaty, but avoided saying much on the subject. He also backed installation of con- dom machines in city buildings. He and the mayor were returned as city council’s representatives to the regional district. McDaniel also sought but lost the chairmanship of the regional district. 1998 was a year of some improvement for coun- cillor McDaniel, but communication difficulties continue to overshadow his abilities and experience. , RON VANDERLEE: C+ After being missing in action for literally months due to work obligations, councillor Vanderlee rema- Rich McDaniel - terialized in March, promising more time for city business. And although his aitendance record did improve ‘porting the Nisga’a markedly, his impact on council did not. Councillor Vanderlee gained experience and knowledge of city issues. Yet he’s rarely a significant source of new ideas, direction or leadership. Indeed when debate moves around the table on contentious issues, councillor Vanderlee often rides the coattails of one of his colleagues rather than explain his own thinking in detail. Vanderlee mirrored councillor George on many issues — generally sup- treaty while at the same lime favouring a referendum. He agreed in principle to Jet the farmer’s mar- ket stay where it is for the short term, although he maintains he’s can- cerned about the level of traffic and parking in that area. A voice for the safety of children and family values, he opposed expanded sales of fire- works as well as con- dom machines. Vanderlee is vigilant on crime prevention and RCMP issues, serving on one of council’s advisory committees dedicated to that topic. An intelligent and thoughtful councillor, Vanderlee has plenty of common sense and a ques- tioning approach to city issues. But it’s still difficult to imagine much difference if council was without him. VAL GEORGE: B+ His underlying traits are still fuzziness and cau- tion, but councillor George did sharpen his edge somewhat in 1998, While it might be seen as waffling, councillor George’s flip-flops on some issues are in his eyes about being responsive to the wishes of his constituents. That meant bending quickly when it became clear the farmer’s market had significant support to remain where it is. George, along with councillor Yanderlee, was the councillor most likely to back local churches on moral issues. Examples included the condom machine debate, casinos and an emphasis on drug enforcement for the RCMP, Councillor George supported the Nisga’a treaty and at the same time supported a referendum so Ron Vanderlee i toisd? “at _requests to put them in voters province-wide could have a say, Along with councillor Power, he switched from initial opposition of a neighbourhood pub on Hwy 16 West to support of the plan after the propa- nent got the immediate neighbours on side. He was outspoken in pushing Victoria for action on. local health - care issues and the plight of fishermen as a result of dramatic fishing restric- tions to protect coho stocks. Councillor George also took’a stand for greater openness: in publicly Opposing mayor Talstra’s penchant for having contentious issues discussed behind closed doors. - Better preparation and a healthier skepticism added up to an improved performance for local taxpayers. DAVID HULL: B What have you done for us lately, Dave? . Yes, yes aside from the millennium tree-planting schemes and the Van Gogh sunflower vision. Councillor Hull often has a tendency to take the shotgun approach to issues. He'll load up and fire ideas around the room in the hopes that one or two of them will stick, or at least look good on TV, , It’s a tactic that often produces better optics than results, Councillor Hull became one of the most vocal backers of the Nisga’a treaty on council and opposed calls for a provincial referendum on the deal. Hull also tried late in the year to drag the rest of council kicking and screaming into taking a formal stand on the treaty — part of his ongoing quest for accountability on council. Huil deeply believes in being straight with the voters and not simply lening difficult issues slide when it! ’s expedient to | ; ‘wea, Val George ee ee ee He -spearheaded ‘the: push to install condom machines in city-owned buildings after the school board rejected high schools. And he’s been vocal in pushing for more extensive cost- sharing of city expenses with Thornhill. Hull publicly dis- graced himself in September with an over- the-top rant at Lynne Christiansen in the heat of debate over moving the farmer’s market. He was the councillor who mast stuck to his guns on that issue (others apreed with him but softened their stance), maintaining to the end that council was weaselling out of a tough decision that should be dealt with now if the city’s serious about long- ferm planning. He remains the councillor you can most count on to be true to his convictions and not sail in which- ever direction the political winds blow. On or off camera, Hull provides the most creative ideas, questions and leadership of anyone on council. a aa Maybe the challenges were fewer in 1998. But all in all, it was something of a floater year for one of council’s most reliable members. OLGA POWER: B- The outsider. Councillor Power joined the ranks of city council in the spring following a byelection to replace departing councillor Tim Down, That put her well over a year behind other rookie councillors on the learning curve. While she still has much to learn about city opera- tions and procedures, Power has been outspoken at times, fighting for the farmers’ market and for her chipper-plagued neigh- bours on Mountainvista. Councillor Power enthusiastically sup- ported the Nisga’a trealy and opposed a referendum. She, too, supported installation of condom machines in city buildings. She was also active on issues such as user fees at the R.E.M. Lee Theatre and local health care, an area where she brings her experience as’ former chair of the hospital board. Councillor Power has no shortage of questions | and ideas, and should prove an increasingly valu- ’ David Hull Olga Power _able member of council as she gains experience.