Readers write. -- Coldstream needs Garlick as Mayor

Without doubt Jim Garlick is the most respected, trusted and popular politician in Coldstream. The mayorship would be his just by asking for it, nobody in their right mind would want to run against him. So perhaps all the would be mayors out there are waiting with baited breath till the last minute to announce their candidacy in the hope Jim won't run. Rumors abound as to who might take a run for mayor of Coldstream. In spite of all the time and work that goes with the holding of that position the power of that office is immense in setting the agenda and future course for Coldstream. Sure councilors have some say and influence on every issue but the agenda is determined by the mayor and the city clerk, they effectively run the town for better or for worse. Power flows from the top down and you are just fooling yourself if you think it flows from the bottom up, as in an ideal democracy. We have seen that amply demonstrated in Coldstream by the tenure of Mayor Corner over the last two years. Any public resistance, opposition or input has been routinely brushed aside and branded as irrelevant or without legal sanction. The only councilors who have attempted to consistently get in touch with the disaffected of this community were Garlick and Firman.

I would say Mayor Corner is a classic example of a 'back room' politician who prefers to make deals behind closed doors with interested parties and then uses whatever tactic, within his considerable powers, to force it down our throats. If I had to guess who might have been most influential in the mayors mind it would be the Vernon Chamber of Commerce. All his policies seem to advance a business agenda at the expense of other concerns. He appears to have councilors Taylor and Williams handily under his spell and he tried mightily to co-opt councilor Malerby but she it seems was either too coy or too slow to learn. It must have been pure hell for Garlick and Firman, and possibly Dirk to have any influence on the desired outcome. It seems 'open minds' were in short supply on this council.

Well I have no doubt the Chamber of Commerce is ready to finance and back some other accommodating candidate for mayor this coming election. Possibly some prominent 'home town boy' who is ready to sell his soul to commerce. Long time residents may not entrust the mayorship to a new comer, no matter what other personal virtues they may have. That's why we need Jim in office to break this vicious cycle of business people running our community for their own benefit and not in the public interest. We need to elect open minded councilors who are open to public input and who have values which uphold 'quality of life' in an ecologically friendly manner, not just for the present inhabitants but also for future generations. There is much to be done to remedy the mistakes of previous administrations. It's time for reform; not 'business' as usual.

Peter Peto

**************************************************************************************