Comox Valley voters will only choose one mayor in this local government election cycle. No one opposed Mayors Vickey Brown in Cumberland and Nicole Minions in Comox, so they both will return to office with an unchallenged mandate.
It’s a different scenario in the City of Courtenay. Two-term incumbent Mayor Bob Wells faces off with challengers Manno Theos, a former council member, and Trish McPhail, a first-time candidate with no previous municipal government experience.
During his eight years in the mayor’s chair – he also served a term on council from 2018 to 2022 – Wells was buoyed by a smart and cohesive mix of council members. That made his job easier to keep the council focused and coming to decisions quickly. The future looks more difficult.
Two key council members retired and another withdrew to seek the Courtenay-Comox riding’s seat in the provincial Legislature. Even assuming the other three incumbents win re-election, there will be at minimum three new personalities around the table.
Even when council members are ideologically aligned, it still takes time to come together as one boat rowing in the same direction. When they are not, the mayor faces the difficult task of holding them together and battening down the hatches while they collectively navigate some stormy sessions.
This requires an experienced hand on the helm. And for this reason, Decafnation endorses Bob Wells for a third mayoral term.
Wells’s primary challenger is Trish McPhail, a well-respected 40-year resident of the Comox Valley who works as a First Nations Cultural Presenter and Knowledge Keeper, speaking in schools, with local businesses, and at events across B.C. She has worked on collaborations with the K’omoks and the four municipal jurisdictions.
McPhail is a quality candidate, who some day may make an excellent mayor for the city. This is not her time. The council term ahead looks bumpy and her preparation for the task has been uncertain. She didn’t decide to seek the office until the last minute and has since reflected on whether the teflon outer shell required of public officials to survive personal or political attacks is worth the price. To her credit, she has recommitted to her candidacy. Decafnation would have preferred that she sought a council seat this term and made her run for the mayor’s chair in 2030.
The other candidate, Manno Theos, does not deserve the office of mayor. He conceals his true place of residence. He hides behind a private online presence and when he did spread comments across social media platforms before the campaign began, it was often rage-baiting rather than constructive discussions of policies and offers of serious solutions. Theos has a likable personality. But running such a negative campaign and his secrecy around simple issues like his residency do not inspire confidence that he would conduct an honest and transparent mayoralty.
———————–
For Council: Wendy Morin
Only three of the six incumbent councillors are seeking re-election. Wendy Morin’s two terms of experience will be a stabilizing influence for her new colleagues. Her historical knowledge of the issues and of previous council deliberations are needed for a smooth blending of the new ideas and values around the table. Morin has been a strong social conscience, a leader in the push for more below-market housing and an ear for people that haven’t been heard.
For Council: Evan Jolicoeur
As a one-term incumbent, Evan Jolicoeur will again bring his deep understanding of some of the city’s biggest challenges. He’s a Registered Nurse, a First Nations administrator and a mental health addictions clinician. He’s the most qualified of all the candidates to guide council through the quagmire of the unhoused, the addicted and those struggling with mental illnesses. With knowledge at his fingertips, he is also good at educating others, and he thrives on the work of thoughtfully planning Courtenay’s future.
For Council: Kelly Matthews
Kelly Matthews is a first-time candidate with a Master’s degree in Environment and Management and a specialty in Sustainable Community Development. He will help local businesses and regional agriculture build climate resilience while keeping the economic benefits in the community. After 29 years in the military and service on the Living Forest Trust board, he knows how to work as part of a team and be accountable. He is a community-minded leader who brings people together, and he is the new candidate most likely to thrive on council immediately. He served as a Big Brother, foster parent and adoptive father. He owns and operates a business in Courtenay.
For Council: Thomas McDevitt
Thomas McDevitt is also a first-time candidate, bringing a small-business perspective to the council table. A young entrepreneur with a postgraduate certificate in advanced business management, he chairs the Comox Valley Farmers’ Market Board of Directors and will support local agriculture and strengthen local food security. His passion for the city’s future and his upbeat outlook will be welcome additions, and a refreshing counterpoint to some of the political gloom from this campaign. He would be a supporting voice for small business, agriculture and protecting the city’s drinking water security.
For Council: Davina Singh
Davina Singh is a first-time candidate with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from UNBC and several years of experience working at the Comox Valley Regional District and the City of Courtenay. She is a good communicator who will actively engage with the public. She is passionate about ethically driven governance and cares deeply about inclusivity, and she will add another woman’s voice to the council table. She will take a keen eye to the city’s finances, and simultaneously challenge the status quo while educating herself about best practices.
For Council: John Dacombe
John Dacombe has had a career in the Regular Canadian Forces and the federal government. He has a BA degree in history from the University of Ottawa. since moving to Courtenay five years ago, he’s served as a director on the Comox Valley Land Trust, the Comox Valley Liquid Waste Management Plan advisory committee and is a member of several non-profits. Dacombe promises to oppose developments that negatively affect the city. He wants a more affordable, safe and livable city. He also appears to have made some outrageous promises to lower property taxes and reduce crime and antisocial behaviour in his first 100 days of office. His “fine print” is that he will introduce motions to do those things, knowing full well that it’s not that simple. If he doesn’t, he should.
