The mayor's race in this year's municipal election has already had its first bump in the road as newcomer John Meech has left Renew Delta to become an independent.
Meech had been part of the new electoral organization, but last Friday, as the nomination period was about to close, he announced he would be running on his own "in order to present his strong views on topics of importance to the people of Delta without constraint."
He said change will be coming to Delta one way or another, and proactive rather than reactive response is a better approach than the way things have been handled under the current administration.
North Delta resident Ranjit Heer, a council candidate who founded Renew Delta, told the Optimist the split was due to "philosophical differences" but said members of the group still admire Meech. She also said they're "into running a very positive campaign."
Even though they also like Mayor Lois Jackson as a person, it's time for a new vision, said Heer.
Jackson and Meech are joined in the mayor's race by former councillor Krista Engelland and current council member Heather King.
Jackson, who is running on the Delta Independent Voters Association slate with councillors Ian Paton, Scott Hamilton and Robert Campbell, has been on Delta council since 1973, when she became the first woman elected to council.
She's been mayor since 1999 and for the past several years has also been chair of Metro Vancouver.
Jackson said if re-elected for a fifth term she would work to keep property taxes low, pay off the municipality's debt and build without incurring new debt.
A one-time political ally of Jackson's, Engelland, who recently held a couple of town hall meetings in South Delta and will hold one in North Delta in early November, was on council for 15 years. She gave up her seat to run against Jackson in 2008.
She's taking another run at the top job, this time as part of an electoral organization called One Delta.
Her platform includes promoting development "that is planned, controlled and regulated in accordance with citizen input and acceptance."
Having already stated her opposition to development on the contentious Southlands, her platform also includes ensuring "that all Delta land zoned for agricultural use is protected for local food security."
Making the mayor's race even more intriguing is the candidacy of King, the first-term councillor and former school trustee who topped the council polls in the last municipal election.
Her website states she lives her life with a cando attitude: "Instead of pointing fingers, she takes responsibility and asks the tough questions with a focus on solutions. As mayor, Heather will be open to finding innovative solutions to Delta's issues no matter how big or small..."
Her platform includes ensuring building on already developed land to "build up not out and increase density in town centers rather than recreate the urban sprawl of the 1960s."
sgyarmati@delta-optimist.com
