Simpson Sworn in – Promises Change
Photo courtesy City of Quesnel
Quesnel, B.C. – Quesnel Mayor Bob Simpson was sworn into office this week amidst high expectations from the electorate.
“I got 71% of the vote. And as mayor I got a higher actual vote count than all of council which is not normal, particularly in smaller communities.”
He says the inauguration was a “great meeting” with a packed council chambers which flowed out into the foyer.
“All of council felt there was a real energy in the room and that we really have a mandate to do our business differently with the community.”
Initially Simpson plans to lay his mark at city hall by turning his initial focus on council itself in time for the first regular meeting December 15th.
“What I’ve done is work with councillors to go through all of our procedural bylaws our committee structures, code of conduct so that we streamline all of our decision meeting processes to make our meetings more relevant, effective and efficient so that in January we will simply meet differently.”
From there he says the city will immediately go into strategic planning and budget which is a big change from the past.
“Previous councils have effectively passed status quo budgets. The city of Quesnel has not had a good hard look line by line on budgets – that will be done.”
Simpson says it’s a forward thinking approach and an acknowledgement of the recent mill closure which cost the city over 200 jobs.
“We have to act as if three years from now we’re going to lose $2 million in industrial tax revenue. We have to act as if that’s our reality and we have to do the hard work on our budget to prepare for that reality.”
At the same time he says they’ll have a strategic focus to figure out how to prevent that from happening and put mitigation plans in place in case it does.
Simpson admits his convincing mandate can be a double edged sword however.
“It (expectations) scares the hell out of me. I felt it during inauguration and I feel it when I go downtown. The expectations are very high.”
But he says he’s ready for the challenge.
“We’re going to create a sustainable community by really embracing the challenges, not by avoiding them. Because to me that’s what the expectations are – we’re going to do the hard thinking, make the decisions but also engage the community in finding creative solutions.”
Comments
I feel sorry for the taxpayers in Quesnel. With a socialist at the helm you know you’re going to pay.
And what’s with the RCMP in the background? No crimes to solve or prevent in Quesnel?
How was Mrs. Green so much more fiscally more responsible than someone like John Backhouse.
Well, let’s see. The socialist in Quesnel is going to do a line-by-line budget review. Doesn’t sound like a spendthrift, does he? On the other hand, here in Prince George, a Conservative mayor and her cronies on city council are out, one reason being the electorate’s distaste for excessive spending.
Prince George experienced a much better brand of leadership, and stewardship of the public purse, with a Tory at the helm over the last three years. :)
And only someone who doesn’t know Bob Simpson would describe him as a socialist. He should do all right for the people of Quesnel, although there will be those who disagree.
CL
“On the other hand, here in Prince George, a Conservative mayor and her cronies on city council are out”
“Prince George experienced a much better brand of leadership, and stewardship of the public purse, with a Tory at the helm over the last three years”
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Hey, weren’t the mayor, her backers and many of those turfed from council also businesspeople? Haven’t people in PG been complaining about rising costs?
I guess that means that with businesspeople at the helm, you know you’re going to pay ;)
I’m sure Bob will do a whole lot better than Quesnels last Mayor!!!
I guess that means that with businesspeople at the helm, you know you’re going to pay ;)
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You’re going to pay because -no matter who’s at the helm- there is not a single politician out there with enough of a backbone to stand up and say that there are way too many people sucking at the taxpayer teat and who will actually try and do something about it.
Politicians (and this includes Bob) are in politics to line their pockets and the pockets of their friends. (Now Bob doesn’t appear to have many friends so you might save a few bucks there!) They run for office because it satisfies their egos.
Could some Quesnel person explain what was so bad about the previous mayor and why Simpson won so dramatically?
There is nothing bad. Bob is a very popular local, former MLA. Brings a good briefcase. Former Mayer did a great job. We will miss her.
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