By Brian Lee
After all the political posturing, propaganda and pollstering we’ve just endured, you couldn’t be faulted for forgetting the most important election of all is still to come.
It’s not Clark vs Dix.
Nor is it American Idol.
It’s the one where we decide who to send down to the SCRD boardroom to represent our interests and to play a role in defining the future of the entire Sunshine Coast.
Voting on bylaws and haranguing SCRD staff for reports may sound inconsequential compared to the intellectual issues faced in federal politics, but it isn’t. The SCRD directors weigh in and offer local guidance to federal or provincial responsibilities like forestry, the environment or fisheries and can hold a lot of sway with decisions made at higher levels of government.
But those decisions made by the eight directors in the SCRD boardroom can also have immediate effects on such things as your level of taxation, how or where you can build and where your water comes from. It’s these issues, decided by a boardroom vote, that often hinge merely on discussion and swayed by the strongest orator of the day. Direction in policy can result from as little as an impassioned argument by a delegation from the floor or a director grinding a political axe.
The board often says its interest is tied to the greater benefit of the entire Sunshine Coast but many budget issues pit directors against each other and each is responsible for taking care of his or her respective area’s interests first. And rightly so — that’s how the system works. So it becomes extremely important to elect a director who is an effective communicator.
But even more important than that is to have a director at all. Right now, Area A is once again faced with the possibility of entering an election without a candidate. The last time we were lucky — we had two suitable candidates throw their hats in the ring. Our current director has stated he will not pursue a second term and no one else has yet shown an interest in his job.
It doesn’t seem to be a problem for the other electoral areas. Other directors aren’t faced with the long drive to attend boardroom meetings (often cited by previous Area A directors as the most onerous part of the job). It may contribute to any burnout that may come with the position and puts Area A at a distinct political disadvantage — because it’s a job where experience counts.
Most of the returning directors in the south will be fighting for (at least) their third term on the SCRD board and are well-versed in the language and protocol required to be successful at the board level. Many hold other political appointments that supplement their income making it more favourable to hold on to their seat.
The lack of a candidate presents an urgent situation for Area A’s future. Issues often arise in which we sit politically and geographically isolated from the population centres down the Coast, making it ever more important we put a strong voice at the table. It’s a tough job but also a very important one.
Any takers?