Real challenge begins now for Cranbrook mayor Scott Manjak and his council supporters

Now that the referendum to extend the boundaries of the city of Cranbrook is over, and voters have said No to the proposal backed by mayor Scott Manjak and a majority of council members, they now face their real challenge after suffering two defeats on this issue during the first year of a three-year term.

After attempting to gain approval for the boundary extension to the area called the East Hill through an alternative approval process, and seeing that plan soundly defeated when the grassroots Citizens for a Livable Cranbrook Society led by president Sharon Cross obtained more than twice as many response forms from voters as were required to stop this process, council approved the referendum.

Despite the support of the local chamber of commerce, three former mayors and several councillors, a massive advertising campaign by a Yes side group reported to have cost more than $100,000, plus advertising by the city and the efforts of Manjak and  councillors Denise Pallesen, Jim Wavrecan, Angus Davis, Diana Scott, and Liz Schatschneider to sway Cranbrook citizens to vote Yes, they lost.

Following a recount, 2616 voters had said No, while 2581 voted Yes. There were 5228 ballots cast and 31 were rejected.

The CLC Society reports that it spent less than $5,000 on its No campaign. Councillor Bob Whetham supported the No side and voted against the alternative approval process and the referendum at council. His courageous position has now been vindicated by the voters of Cranbrook, and it is something his council colleagues need to recognize as they face the real challenges before them in the next two years of their term. He represents the wishes of the majority of voters in the referendum.

Simply put with a nod to Bob Dylan, the times they are a changing in Cranbrook, and it is now time for Manjak and his council supporters to accept the new reality and move forward with plans to address the many issues facing the city as it is,  without thinking about creating a second city on a hill.

When I moved to Cranbrook just over 20 years ago, it was referred to as the "pothole capital of Canada." It still is in many respects and citizens have been complaining for 20 years or more. Instead of simply paying lip service to the issue, Manjak and council could start to address it seriously and present the citizens with a proposal to fix the roads.

Council needs to get serious about  the need for an overpass (or underpass) over the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks, a problem that has been ignored since Cranbrook was founded over 100 years ago. It is time to meet this real challenge now.

Obviously, there are challenges facing Cranbrook centred on the provision of proper environmental services for the future.

There are challenges to be met to address the needs of the homeless and to provide affordable housing for those who need it, and a proper home for the supporters of arts and culture. Cranbrook needs to attract new industries.

Most importantly, this mayor who promised an open and transparent administration and his supporters on the council hopefully will now realize that the greatest resource a community has is its people, with talents and abilities and good will, just waiting to be used to make Cranbrook a better place for everyone.

Ultimately, the real challenge  is to open the doors of communication and enter into a dialogue with the citizens, so that in the future the YES factor will dominate public discourse in this city with a focus on the things that bring us together, rather than those which divide us.

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