UPDATED MARCH 13 AT 4 PM
An announcement from City of Powell River councillor Russell Brewer that he will not run for council again could have far-reaching consequences in a general election that is still seven months away.
Mayor Dave Formosa said Brewer’s decision was a big surprise that saddened him and will affect his thinking when deciding if he will seek a third term as mayor and fourth on council.
“It's made me think about, if I did run and got re-elected, what it would be like without him,” said Formosa. “Russell is a mind of reason; he thinks things through. It would be a real loss and to find somebody who would fill those shoes would be difficult.”
On March 9, after an afternoon walk in the woods and hiking up Gallagher Mountain with his children, Zevier, 19, and Zoe, 17, Brewer said he was sitting having a coffee and, in a moment of clarity, made the decision to not seek re-election.
Brewer announced his decision on social media.
“Sitting and soaking up some sun as I did briefly this afternoon can help one recharge and refocus," he wrote. "I will not be running for council again this fall."
Formosa said he heard the news while vacationing in Arizona and hoped it was a rumour.
Brewer said he will not run for council, mayor or a Powell River Regional District position, but did not rule out school board or provincial politics in the future.
Timing of the announcement coincided with a column by freelance writer Murray Dobbin in the Peak that denounced Brewer’s position on the former Inn at Westview. Brewer said the Dobbin article played a part in deciding not to put his name on the ballot.
“It had an influence for sure; that's a very visible example, but there are lots of emails, phone calls and comments,” said Brewer. “That article was just a very public example. It's just one piece of the consideration I had, but it certainly didn't help given that I was thinking about wanting to carry on or not.”
In the column, Dobbin criticized Brewer for appearing to be a supporter of Jack Barr, the agent for Seaboard Hotels, which owns the former inn.
Dobbin said his opinion was fair comment.
“It is regrettable that Russell Brewer has decided not to run again as he is a conscientious and hardworking councillor,” said Dobbin. “I have praised councillor Brewer for his work in the past, but as a commentator, I can’t be biased. My critical comments of his statements regarding the Inn at Westview issue, I believe, are a fair reflection of community concern. Being vulnerable to public criticism is an unfortunate but necessary downside of being an elected official.”
In December 2017, Peak editorial staff chose the two-term politician as its Person of the Year, referring to Brewer as, “An individual who is leading Powell River into the next decade,” and, “One of the most powerful people in the region.”
At that time, Brewer said he would be running for a third term.
“I changed my mind,” he said, adding that seven years was enough time in local government.
In addition to his role as councillor, Brewer sits as chair of the city’s finance committee, which is currently involved in budget debates, and is one of two Powell River Regional District municipal directors.
Brewer said there is still a pile of work to be done before his final term is up. His priorities include regionalization of some services, including a cost-sharing structure with the regional district and Tla’amin Nation for the Powell River Recreation Complex, a strong fiscal position for the city once the budget is completed, federal funding for the wastewater treatment plant, and a strong planning and developing department, “so we can respond to a lot of these building permits and development applications we're seeing,” he added.
Brewer is the second current councillor to announce their retirement from civic politics, the other being Karen Skadsheim.
