The move to four-year local-government terms in B.C. is generally regarded as positive, but the decision by Sooke鈥檚 mayor not to seek re-election illustrates one of the drawbacks of the change for smaller municipalities.
The B.C. government passed legislation this spring extending the term of office to four years from three for municipal councils, school boards, regional districts, parks boards and the Islands Trust.
As the legislation was pending, reaction was generally favourable.
鈥淭he issues that we have to deal with these days at the local level are so much more complex,鈥� said Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin. 鈥淸Four years] gives you time to take on complex issues, whether they be infrastructure or addressing some of the larger issues that are tough to deal with.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 in sync with people鈥檚 expectation provincially and federally, so I think people have gotten used to four-year terms,鈥� said Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard, who advocated the change through the Union of B.C. Municipalities. 鈥淪o I thought conceptually it was something that people could accept.鈥�
(When Leonard entered municipal politics in 1986, elections were held yearly, with half the councillors running every other year.)
Saanich鈥檚 mayor said his community formulates five-year strategic plans, and longer terms in office would enhance the implementation of those plans.
But Metchosin Mayor John Ranns was not as enthusiastic. He said a four-year term is a difficult commitment in small municipalities for younger, working people who might consider running for office, especially given the time involved and the small stipend paid for municipal council service.
Ranns鈥檚 observation has been borne out by the decision of Sooke Mayor Wendal Milne not to run in this fall鈥檚 municipal election.
鈥淎ge catches up with you, and this next term is a four-year term,鈥� said Milne, 66, a former Sooke RCMP detachment commander who was elected as mayor in 2011. 鈥淚 just don鈥檛 think I can give it the commitment it takes. You work most of your life 鈥� it鈥檚 time to start thinking about your family and do a bit of family stuff. You just can鈥檛 get away for any extended period of time in this job.鈥�
Some public offices come with salaries substantial enough to be attractive. Members of Parliament are paid handsomely, B.C.鈥檚 MLAs are paid generously, councillors in municipalities such as Victoria and Saanich are paid reasonably, but in places like Sooke and Metchosin, the pay is more of a pittance. Sooke鈥檚 mayor gets $20,000 a year, while councillors get $10,000.
It might be reasoned that a larger municipality has more business to conduct than a smaller one. That might be true to a certain extent, but a municipality has a number of required functions that does not dwindle in proportion to its population. Much of the work that would be done by municipal staff in larger centres tends to get dumped in the lap of councillors in smaller communities.
Overall, the four-year term is an improvement. It allows for continuity and long-term planning, and saves election costs. It reduces the amount of electioneering that could interfere with the conduct of municipal business.
But its potential effect on smaller municipalities underscores the commitment and dedication required of those elected to local government.
For some federal and provincial politicians, getting elected is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. In local government, the pot鈥檚 contents tend to be something else. Everyone鈥檚 your boss and no matter what you do, someone will be vociferously unhappy about it.
It takes a public-minded person to look past the muck and keep the rainbow in sight, especially when the hours are long and the pay is short.
