One name stays off the municipal ballot

With Friday's deadline come and gone, a familiar name in Prince Rupert politics will remain off the ballot for Mayor on November 15th.

Mayor Herb Pond has decided that the time to move on from municipal politics has arrived, deciding against putting his name into nomination as the incumbent mayor of Prince Rupert.

His decision brings to an end his six years as mayor of the city and an even longer stint on the municipal governmental scene. And his departure sets the scene for much in the way of speculation as to what his next plan may be, with no shortage of rumours around as to what he plans to do next.

He looked back at his involvement in politics in Prince Rupert which dates back to 1996, Pond offered up his remembrances to the Daily News as their front page headline story in Tuesday's paper.

MAYOR POND DECIDES NOT TO RUN AGAIN FOR CITY HALL

After two busy terms, Herb Pond says time is right to move out of the mayor's office
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Pages one and three

There were many names on the Tanya Ostrom's election list but there was one key name missing. Herb Pond's name was noticeably absent from the mayoral election ballot meaning that after six years, the incumbent will step down.

Today, Pond will take his fist step on his last march as Mayor of Prince Rupert when he and the current council gathers at city hall for tonight's regular council meeting. It has been a term that has seen its ups-and-downs, but the ever-vivacious mayor doesn't regret one moment in the city's top job.

"Without doubt it's been the very best experience of my life and I am actually quite emotional today (Friday) because I am keenly aware that this is the point of no return but it's also the right thing to do and I am very comfortable with this decision," said Pond.

Six years ago, Pond barely squeaked past the incumbent, Don Scott, into the mayor's chair. But rewind it back to 1996 and the desire to be the city's elected leader was evident then, when Pond first announced that he was interested in the job.

Back then, many thought that there wasn't much chance of Pond getting elected as mayor, but he was defeated by only 38 votes by Jack Mussallem.

For the next vote, in 1999, Pond decided to run again and promised to push for a bridge from Prince Rupert to Digby Island to be built within the next three years.

He defended the proposed fixed link and said the environmental risks were minimal and said the city's probable share of $20 to $25 million might be matched by a similar provincial sum.

To this date, the bridge has gone nowhere but the Tsimshian Expressway project is not officially dead and might still come back to life.

However, Pond has succeeded where others have failed and one of the important accomplishments the mayor has achieved is his relationship with First Nations on Kaien Island and in the whole Tsimshian territory.

He has been lauded for his initiative in learning the Tsimshian language and building other bridges between two distinct cultures, which are on display every time he greets visitors to Prince Rupert.

"Most of what I've set out to achieve is already done or on its way to being done and so I am quite pleased to now find new ways of getting things done," said Pond. On his decision not to run again, the incumbent said he had made his mind up a long time ago and was waiting for the right time to make his decision.

"It's now time to allow someone else the honour. My only hesitation in announcing my intentions is to ensure that the people of Prince Rupert would have some good choices in others that would be running and I think that, certainly, the two names on the ballot, the people have a good choice," said Pond.

Rumors are swirling around town that Pond has been looking toward a BC Liberals nomination for May's provincial election. Although Pond has not confirmed his provincial intentions yet one way or the other, one councillor has said that he fully expects Pond to make a go for it come May.
"I understand he's running for the provincial Liberal game and hopefully he'll get in there because people listen to him and he's a great politician," said Ken Cote.