Keeping up its impressive winning streak, the district of Ucluelet pulled in yet another major award over the weekend. April May, executive director of the Coalition of BC Municipalities (CBCM), announced Sunday that this year’s Mayor Sunshine trophy would be going to Ucluelet mayor Dianne St. Jacques.
The rotating award goes each year to the small-town mayor who projects “the most grindingly, blindingly, relentlessly positive image for their town, in the face of everything to the contrary” May said. “Every time [Mayor St. Jacques] speaks, everything she says is brimming with optimism and hope for the future. She deserves this award like nobody else.”
District residents seem to agree. “Every time she opens her mouth it’s like a friggin’ soap commercial for the town,” they say. “Just as it should be, ’cause we’re all happily housed, with great jobs and a swell town with no problems at all.”
Ucluelet CAO Geoff Lyons was a strong contender for the Making Problems Disappear by Waving Your Arms Around award, but was beat out by the district of Duncan, which recently signed famed magician David Copperfield to a long-term contract.
Tofino mayor John Fraser was also considered for the award, but fell out of the running because he briefly discussed the town’s critical water problems in a public forum. “There’s a time and a place to talk about controversial civic issues,” May said, “and unfortunately Mr. Fraser let the cat out of the bag once too often. But he got his head bit off because of it, so we have every hope that he learned a lesson and will be in the running for Mayor Sunshine next year.”
—Thanks to submitter (who wants to remain anonymous)
