Saturday’s civic election brought several decades of community service to the end for two local politicians.
Robert Campbell saw his 19-year run on Delta council come to an end, while Dale Saip’s time as a school trustee dates back to 1987.
“I had a pretty good three decades,” Saip told the Optimist. “This is the first time that I have been part of an election where we had school board and council candidates as part of the same slate. We’ve had slates before for school board, but when you look at it six of seven (successful) candidates were part of or supported by slates, so I was up against that, but it’s fine. I actually had more votes than I had last time, but this time we had more voters.”
Saip finished 10th, more than 2,000 votes back of the seventh and final seat.
He said he is very happy with the make-up of the new board.
“The three new trustees, they seem great and seem like great people, so congratulations and best of luck to them. I will be meeting with the new trustees and give them any advice. I’ll be there to encourage them any way I can.”
Saip said he is very proud of his work on the board.
“When I first ran for school board I had a one-year-old daughter who is now the mother of my two grandsons. I ran also because Delta was not looked upon too favourably as a school district,” he said. “Our boards disagreed at times, but for the most part we built by consensus. I was six or seven terms as chair and we did a good job of balancing what the community wanted and what we could afford. I always did what I thought I needed to do. I don’t have any regrets.”
Campbell is only the third sitting councillor in Delta in the last two decades to not get re-elected.
“I’m disappointed, but I’m ready to move on. I look forward to pursuing other opportunities,” he said. “I know everyone worked hard and did their best to get elected.”
Campbell said the purchase of Burns Bog was a major accomplishment for Delta and a real highlight during his years on council.
“Other than that I just so much enjoyed and I’m proud of my time on the parks, recreation and culture commission. That, to me, is the long-term accomplishment,” he said. “I wouldn’t have done this if it wasn’t rewarding. It was an absolutely tremendous experience. I’m grateful to the voters for electing me six times.”
Coun. Sylvia Bishop, who finished third in the mayoral race and ran with Campbell on the Team Delta slate, said his experience will be greatly missed.
“In my experience his dedication and passion for Delta’s parks, recreation and culture facilities – I don’t think there is anybody who knows more broadly or deeply the issues that he does,” said Bishop. “That will be a vacancy that will be hard to fill. Robert has made a phenomenal contribution, often in a quiet and understated way. Some politicians are loud and full of bravado and then there are the quiet ones who make meaningful contributions and Robert is one of those kinds.”
Also going down to defeat was incumbent school trustee Rhiannon Bennett, who served one term.
Current school board chair Laura Dixon, who was re-elected, said Saip and Bennett will be missed at the board table.
“We will miss the incumbents who lost – they all made valuable contributions,” said Dixon.
