Business as usual for four more years

EDITORIAL — The next four years will be interesting ones indeed around the Kamloops City council table. But how different will they be from what we’ve had?

One of the main features of the new council is the strengthening of the anti-Ajax voice, with the election of Dieter Dudy and Denis Walsh. Along with mine opponents Tina Lange and Donovan Cavers, the faction lined up against the mine proposal now totals four of the nine members of council.

That provides real strength to that side of the debate and will make it tougher for the remainder to ride the fence.

But other than that, was there much real change? Incumbent Nelly Dever was a somewhat surprising loss in what is otherwise a minor shuffle, a victim, perhaps, of her strident support of a significant pay raise for councillors.

And, Nancy Bepple, who resigned earlier in the year due to health reasons, then ran again, was nowhere close to regaining her seat.

Otherwise, this is a status quo council. The voters, rather than opting for a major shuffle, played it conservatively. Seven incumbents, including Mayor Peter Milobar, are back. Veteran Pat Wallace, talked about as a possible casualty, came in eighth and retains a seat at the table.

Dudy is the only new blood on this council, placing a strong third. But he’s familiar to voters after nearly unseating Milobar three years ago, and hails from the business community.

Truly new blood is nowhere to be seen. People like Mike O’Reilly, Dustin McIntyre, Peter Kerek and Andrew Miller finished far down the list of 28 candidates. Any one of them would have added fresh, younger luster to the council, though some might argue how positive that change would have been.

Bottom line, though, is that the new council — with the possible exception of the Ajax issue — represents business as usual for the next four years.