We're satisfied.
There are lots of ways to interpret the results of Saturday's municipal election, but given the familiar look of our new local government it's hard to argue with the contention that voters are quite happy to maintain the status quo.
That's not to say the results didn't produce some cries for change, a situation that was most evident in the mayor's race, but overall voters didn't want to substantially alter the direction that both Delta council and the Delta school board are headed.
Despite concerns voiced over council's listening skills or the board's willingness to close schools, that unrest didn't translate at the ballot box. In fact, the incumbents that didn't survive were as much the victims of low profiles as they were for any decisions made at the table over the last three years.
Status quo means a continued love affair with Lois Jackson in North Delta as well as Tsawwassen's much more tepid relationship with the now fiveterm mayor. Jackson never got beyond 24 per cent of the popular vote at any of the seven Tsawwassen polling stations, although she was above 50 per cent at all but one of the 12 North Delta stations.
It's a tale of two towns, but that's nothing new.
Delta's three communities weren't as polarized in the council and school board races as the eventual winners were among the top vote getters in most polls, regardless of where they were in the municipality. That's not to say there weren't a few geographic anomalies, including down in Boundary Bay where anti-Southlands development sentiment led to some different choices for council.
Ian Paton, who was wildly popular in Ladner in last fall's by-election, found more of the same love on Saturday en route to top spot in the 13-person council race. And Sylvia Bishop, who finished second to Paton last September, made the breakthrough in a big way this time, a mere 24 years after first running for a council seat. To preserve my health, I should mention she was just a baby back in 1987.
Veteran trustee Dale Saip, who became a lightning rod for discontent when the board closed two elementary schools in the spring of 2009, didn't suffer at the ballot box for that decision. Ironically, Saip ran second at Delta Manor and third at Boundary Beach, the two schools that were closed.
All in all, the results were as predictable as they were familiar. Voters, or at least 33.8 per cent of them, appear to be satisfied with their local government.
