Response to Mayor Cook's bid for a 2nd term

Yesterday, the Williams Lake Tribune ran a story that Kerry Cook wants a 2nd term as Mayor of Williams Lake

The following comment was posted on the article:

This is too bad for our community. Maybe the reason people are asking Ms. Cook if she is going to run again, is they are hoping the answer will be no! I think Kerry is a nice person but she is NOT a Mayor and she especially is not the Mayor Williams Lake needs now during these challenging economic and social times. We need a leader who is not afraid to step outside the box. One who has some real vision and can reach out and develop relationships with the Province and the Federal Government because we need their help!

In typical Cook fashion she states that "We've accomplished a lot", but there are no details, no examples of what that is. Just because she says a thing doesn't mean it's so. I for one would really like to know exactly what her council has done. Her own priority from the start has been crime and she states that they have turned a corner on crime! How can anyone say that? Williams Lake, this small city of 10,000 has gone from the highest crime rater per capita in the province, to the highest crime rate per capita in the country during her term! Walk downtown after 7:00 pm and the roll shutters speak for themselves. People getting stabbed in the streets? Really? In little, rural, Williams Lake? Please don't tell me you are doing anything about crime in Williams Lake! We need a Mayor who isn't afraid to take some VERY drastic action with this issue and hiring one extra RCMP staff to do paper work is NOT going to fix it!

Yes, the City recently won an FCM award for planning and for this I applaud the City Staff. But this was a project that was well underway before this Mayor and Council was elected. In fact I would go so far as to say that 95% of anything this Mayor has accomplished is projects that were started by the past two Mayors. I agree with Kerry that this is a good council and staff but they need a good leader with some real vision to ensure this community has a "healthy, sustainable, economy". If Mayor Cook cares about Williams Lake at all she will accept the fact that she does not have what it takes to take on this challenge and she will step down. She would make an excellent Councillor because I do believe she really cares about her community, but she is not Mayor material.

If this commentor is indicative of what the general public is feeling, then Ms. Cook is in for a rough ride next year when she tries to convince the public to give her a 2nd opportunity to serve as Mayor of Williams Lake. Expect the Mayor's race to heat up either this fall or into the spring of 2011 with more than 1 opposing candidate possible. It is possible you'll see a 3 or even 4 person race for Mayor in 2011 with multiple candidates for City Councillor, certainly expect to see more than 6 candidates file for the Office of City Councillor - City of Williams Lake