When it comes to casting a ballot in the race for Vancouver City Council Position 5, voters are faced with a win-win proposition. Linda Glover and Ty Stober offer two strong choices to fill the seat being vacated by Larry Smith.
Not only are both candidates articulate, thoughtful, and forward-thinking, they also embrace similar positions on most of the big issues facing the city — a fact that makes it difficult to choose between them. That being said, The Columbian’s Editorial Board recommends a vote for Glover in the contest for city council.
As always, this is merely a recommendation. Voters should take the time to study the candidates and the issues, including video of the Editorial Board’s interview of the candidates, which took place prior to the primary (www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQdiDkwOyVU). We trust that voters will be impressed with both candidates.
During that interview, Glover effectively articulated an impressive vision for Vancouver. “People say, ‘What do you want to see in the city in four years?’ I would love to see somebody at a conference somewhere pick up a marketing piece that tells them how fabulous Vancouver is and what a smart business decision it is to come here,” she said. “So they decide to come and see. And as they drive into the city, they see they’re welcomed by inviting entrances; and as they drive around, they see well-maintained streets, they see well-maintained parks, they have a sense that they’re safe. They talk to people and they find, yeah, there is a great education here. And they just feel the vibrancy and the vitality of the community. And then they say, ‘OK, I think this is a place where my business and my family can survive.’ ”
Glover is executive director of the nonprofit Gifts for Our Community and runs the organization’s shop in downtown Vancouver — small-business experience that can enhance her effectiveness on the city council. She is a former teacher and elementary school principal, and has been involved in numerous community organizations, including serving as a trustee for the Fort Vancouver National Trust.
Not to be outdone, Stober also has a forward-looking vision for Vancouver. With a background primarily in high-tech industries — including the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance — he emphasizes the need to include effective Internet access as part of the region’s larger infrastructure discussions. “When we don’t invest in infrastructure, we are shooting ourselves in the foot; we are turning away from what is our competitive, geological advantage here.”
Glover and Stober both enthusiastically embrace C-Tran’s burgeoning bus rapid transit system along Fourth Plain Boulevard, with Stober saying, “It can really cause a renaissance to happen along that corridor.” They both oppose the siting of a rail-to-marine oil terminal at the Port of Vancouver (over which the city council has no control), and they both generally support the maximum annual 1 percent increase in the city’s property-tax collection.
Most important, they both employ thoughtful insight when speaking about the issues facing Vancouver while managing to avoid an “all-is-well” blindness. As Glover said: “We can’t build more roads and more water and more sewer until we can maintain what we have.”
Regardless of who wins the election for Vancouver City Council Position 5, we trust that the populace will be well-served. Both Linda Glover and Ty Stober are strong candidates, but The Columbian gives a slight edge to Glover.
