The votes have been counted, and Fraser Valley Regional District Electoral Area B will have a change in leadership. But with the election over, the more important question may be what happens during the next four years.
Dennis Adamson has been elected as Area B Director, defeating incumbent Peter Adamo in the October 17 municipal election. Adamson received 142 votes (56.1%) compared with Adamo’s 111 votes (43.9%), a difference of just 31 votes.
Adamson previously served as Area B Director before losing the position to Adamo in 2022. His return marks another change in representation for the communities of Sunshine Valley, Yale, Dogwood Valley, Laidlaw and surrounding areas.
Adamo’s departure also deserves recognition. Serving as an electoral area director is not an easy assignment. The position involves considerable time, evening and weekend commitments, complex decisions and, inevitably, criticism. During his four years in office, Adamo represented communities with different priorities, needs and expectations. Whatever their political preferences, residents can acknowledge the commitment required of someone willing to serve.
A Small Electorate, Important Decisions
Perhaps the most striking feature of this election is the number of votes cast.
Just 253 votes were recorded for the two candidates. That is a remarkably small number of people choosing a representative who will participate in decisions affecting taxation, land use, infrastructure, emergency services and regional spending.
It raises an important question: how representative are election results when so few people participate?
Area B also faces challenges that differ from those of municipalities. Its communities are geographically separated, often have limited services, and may have very different expectations about what regional government should provide.
A decision that benefits one community may create costs for another. Residents deserve to understand not only what decisions are being made, but also who pays for them and why.
Accountability Doesn’t End on Election Day
Unlike the provincial legislature, the Fraser Valley Regional District does not have an official opposition whose job is to question the decisions of the governing body.
Regional directors make decisions collectively, and the responsibility for public scrutiny often falls to residents themselves.
Fortunately, FVRD agendas, minutes, budgets and meeting recordings are publicly available. Unfortunately, finding the information, understanding the implications and following decisions through the process can require considerable time and effort.
That’s something we hope to help change.
Introducing FVRD Watch
As The Local Lens develops, we plan to introduce FVRD Watch, a regular feature examining decisions that affect Sunshine Valley and neighbouring communities.
We’ll highlight upcoming agenda items, explain decisions in everyday language, provide links to official documents and raise questions when further explanation seems warranted.
Our purpose is not to support or oppose individual politicians. It is to help residents understand how their regional government operates and how its decisions affect their communities.
The election is over. The work of local government continues.
And so should the public conversation.