ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Monday marked Coun. Dave Lane’s last day on St. John’s city council.
The councillor-at-large was first elected in 2013. In February, he announced he would resign from council at year’s end because his family was moving to Torbay.
He gave a sometimes emotional speech in chambers during city council’s last meeting before the Christmas break.
“These last several months have probably been the most challenging of my time on council,” he said, noting the difficult budget process during an especially challenging year for the city fiscally.
“But when I reflect back to my first term, I remember fellow Councillor Bruce Tilley telling me I was full of piss and vinegar. I believe I was on something like 18 committees of council,” he said, listing a slew of issues he championed during his first term, such as economic development, the arts, cycling and public engagement.
A focus on the 'four Bs'
His second term on council saw his family grow as Lane and his wife welcomed their first child, so he said he refocused his priorities to what he called the “four Bs”: business, budget, bikes and buses.
To that end, Lane said some accomplishments of this council that he’s proud of include the most extensive public engagement process ever for the 2018-20 budget, meaningful updates to the city’s election campaign rules and the implementation of the bus pass program for people on provincial income support.
Lane also used his last speech in council chambers to address the controversial bike plan.
“A great deal of unnecessary fear, I think, has been instilled in the public that council’s intent is to destroy walking trails and naturalized areas to the benefit of cyclists.
“And while I’ve made many efforts to correct this information, it bears repeating today. Council will not destroy our existing public amenities. Our intent with the bike plan is simply, and has always been, to enable more people to lead active, healthy lives.”
He said the upcoming public engagement on the plan is an opportunity to come together as a community to explore what’s possible.
Other councillors applauded Lane.
Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O’Leary called him “a class act” who is always reasonable and rational; Coun. Ian Froude said it was Lane’s presence on council that was a big part of his own decision to run for municipal office; Coun. Wally Collins said he learned over a few post-meeting beers that Lane is funny and does great impressions; and Mayor Danny Breen said Lane is thoughtful in discussions — always looking to find conciliatory thoughts that are needed to find a consensus, and he took on some tough issues that he explained well publicly.
Juanita Mercer reports on municipal politics in St. John’s.
