Learning how to be humble part of being mayor

You have to be humble to be mayor. Peter Milobar has been humbled twice in the past couple of weeks, on both occasions because he forgot that, sometimes, leadership means you have to follow.

Milobar promised “A Balanced Approach” in his first term as mayor. As the economy was tanking, he resisted setting up a community committee to see what could be done about it on a local level.

He finally acquiesced, and got together a group that met a couple of times and then was never heard from again.

That was at the start of his term. He ends his three years in office with two major policy stumbles. One, of course, was the Lorne Street parkade, which he personally endorsed and pushed through despite obvious public opposition.

For the first time in history, a counter petition succeeded against Kamloops City Hall, and the parkade was killed. Putting on a happy face, Milobar and council then decided not to take the issue to a referendum.

The second looks equally bad on him. Milobar voted against a federal review of the Ajax mine project but, this time, he was in the minority. Council voted against him and for the review.

What to do now? How about coming onside as if you like the idea of a federal review? Thursday, the Thompson Nicola Regional District board of directors voted for a federal review in support of the City council position Milobar had opposed.

And Milobar announced he will now travel to Ottawa to lobby for that review, along with MP Cathy McLeod. Not a bad move, since the review is now all but assured with or without Milobar’s approval.

If you’re going to be humbled, you may as well make the most of it.