File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Doug Collins

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Mayor’s downfall is his seeming inability to lead

Jun 9, 2024 | 6:00 AM

NOW THAT MAYOR REID HAMER-JACKSON has become a mayor in name only, many are speculating on the reasons he has fallen from favour after only a year-and-a-half on the job.

My personal belief is that Reid ran for office without really understanding what the job entailed, and what criteria needed to be met to be successful. I think he ran on his major issue, cleaning up safety issues and dealing with an increase in crime. I also believe he had the mistaken notion that the mayor was powerful enough to make these changes almost arbitrarily, when the reality is that the mayor has no power at all. He is the face of the city, and most of all, he should be a leader — someone who can create a consensus among council members, who can meld divergent views into a decision everyone can buy into.

According to Henry Braun, the government appointee to look into problems within the city, the mayor’s resistance to “building bridges” was a major problem. If you understand how government works, “building bridges” is the mayor’s job — the most important job he has. But Reid doesn’t seem to have picked that up.

Some have inferred the mayor may not have the skill set to do the job. What does the skill set involve? Well, it doesn’t have to involve some big business background. It really only involves the ability to lead. To be a cheerleader, to be able to find common ground. To go mingle with the community, listen to concerns and spearhead discussion to find ways to address those concerns.

Our current council members have a variety of backgrounds. Kelly Hall has a business background. So does Mike O’Reilly. Does that make them more qualified than Dale Bass.or Katie Neustaeter? Hardly. Stephen Karpuk cracks bones in his job as a chiropractor, Bill Sarai delivered letters for much of his career. Margot Middleton has a wide background, as does Nancy Bepple.

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And let us not forget that one of our best mayors, Cliff Branchlower, set type in a newspaper for most of his life. But he was a shining example of a man with integrity, a quiet man who listened, treated everyone with respect and brought council together during some very eventful times.

That’s the skill set a mayor has to have. Does our current mayor have that?

I’m Doug Collins and that’s One Man’s Opinion.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.