Sooke is at a critical point in its development.
We need to find creative solutions to the many challenges facing our community that best meet the needs of all of us.
The diversity of opinions expressed by community members regarding the proposed official community plan (OCP) at the Sept. 27 council meeting demonstrated considerable consultation is required to achieve genuine unity and agreement among different groups of people in our community.
Finalizing the OCP is one of the complex tasks and issues facing the next council.
The election of this council will be of critical importance for the development of our community in the coming years. To address these issues, I feel we need to elect council members by evaluating their character quality, open-mindedness, and willingness to listen to differing views and to set the community’s common good above their private interests.
We need a council that can consult, respect each other and offer diverse perspectives to arrive at better, more holistic decisions regarding the many matters they will need to address.
It will need to be a council whose members are willing to do the work necessary to research and review the plans and proposals brought before them to make informed decisions.
This places a particular responsibility on us as electors to look beyond the specific promises, solutions, political leanings and biases presented by the candidates and determined who can best meet the qualifications above rather than support those who share the same views as us on particular issues, or offer what appear to be appealing solutions to the complex challenges facing our community.
This is our opportunity to elect a council that can make our community a better place for all of us and be a shining example for other municipalities to follow.
Don Brown
Sooke
READ: Council seeks $500,000 in grants to improve Charters Road
editor@sookenewsmirror.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter