The landscaper, who ended Stew Young’s 30-year reign as mayor of Langford on Saturday, said he’s ready to trade his hardhat for a suit and tie, roll up his sleeves and take the helm of the province’s fastest-growing city.
His first order of business will be to change council meeting times to 7 p.m. instead of 5:30 p.m., so people have time to get home from work and feed their families, “something the mayor doesn’t realize.” The 49-year-old mayor-elect said plans have already been drawn up to build a new home on his parents’ subdivided property on Langford Lake.“I told people while I was campaigning that being mayor is going to be a full-time job for me, and I’m going to focus everything on that and not run a business on the side,” he said.
Langford Now candidates say they are not against development, but want to listen to residents and gauge the long-term effects that any new projects bring to neighbourhoods, including environmental impacts and transportation infrastructure issues. Like Goodmanson, they also want more voices to be heard at council meetings — a major criticism against Young.
“I just hope they’re willing to work with [developers and staff] … that’s my fear,” Young added. “I hope they are knowledgeable enough to know it takes partnerships to build a community that went from 5,000 people to 50,000 people.” Young said he retired two years ago from his active businesses, which include a soil delivery company and a restaurant supply business. He also has interests in some local restaurants.
Does he actually live in Langford?
Is this parody? New mayor puts paper route on hold, tells mom he’s not eating meatloaf anymore.
Boomers don’t listen and get retired. With Horgan and Stu out of Langford this year there is a real future.