When he first ran for council 12 years ago, Peter Fassbender hadn鈥檛 set his sights on the mayor鈥檚 chair.
鈥淚 had thought about it, but it wasn鈥檛 the goal,鈥� said Fassbender, seated in the corner office he has occupied for the past six years.
But after running unsuccessfully in 1999 and being elected to council three years later, Fassbender was encouraged by then-mayor Marlene Grinnell to seek the job when she stepped down.
It was a challenge he welcomed then and one he still enjoys today.
As he seeks his third term as mayor of the City of 91原创, Fassbender is standing on his record.
鈥淭he City of 91原创 lifts much above its weight because we have a vision and we鈥檙e marketing it,鈥� said Fassbender.
The municipality is well-respected throughout the Lower Mainland for the way it does business, he added.
鈥淲e deliver on what we say. For me, that鈥檚 very satisfying.鈥�
From the outset, Fassbender, a 35-year resident of the City who, with his wife Charlene, raised two sons in the community, had a vision for the downtown鈥檚 redevelopment and revitalization.
鈥淲e are an older community, both above and below ground,鈥� he said.
In order to address the problems that come with aging infrastructure a plan had to be put in place.
鈥淲e needed to craft a concise and forward thinking vision,鈥� Fassbender said.
More than a decade later, he鈥檚 satisfied with the results of those efforts, he said, adding that the Downtown Master Plan is moving along even more quickly than he could have imagined.
Much of that, he said, can be attributed to 鈥渁 great staff and a council that鈥檚 willing to work together.
鈥淢unicipal politics are not partisan. You鈥檙e elected to be part of a team,鈥� Fassbender said.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e elected in the City, you also have to have a regional view because we don鈥檛 live in isolation.鈥�
During his time on council, Fassbender has represented the City on outside policing, transportation, libraries and health committees, among other responsibilities.
Currently, Fassbender is acting for all B.C. municipalities in the province鈥檚 ongoing negotiations with the RCMP. And while there is still work to be done, he said, progress is being made.
One area that remains a huge challenge, however, is moving people effectively around the Lower Mainland.
鈥淭ransportation is an issue we have to wrestle to the ground,鈥� Fassbender said.
鈥淭ransportation is at the heart of a livable region, but the answers are not going to be easy,鈥� he said.
Asked whether it is contentment or apathy in the City that leads to minimal public engagement and low voter turnout, Fassbender replied that it is a combination.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a bit of both. Controversy gets you noticed, but it hampers getting things done. I think there鈥檚 a fair amount of satisfaction (among City residents).鈥�
Unfortunately, he added, when it comes to election time, that contentment translates into a poor turnout at the polls.
People will come out to vote against something a politician has done rather than for something they鈥檝e achieved, he said.
鈥淒oes it concern me a little? Yeah, it does. But I鈥檒l run the same campaign whether there is one candidate running or 10.鈥�
鈥淚f someone just runs for whatever reason and doesn鈥檛 have a vision they can articulate, that鈥檚 a disservice to taxpayers.鈥�
Fassbender cited his business background, experience as mayor and years of service on boards as attributes he brings to the job.
鈥淚鈥檓 a consensus builder and a listener,鈥� he added.
鈥淚 evaluate options, but I鈥檓 not afraid to make a decision. I鈥檓 a risk taker.鈥�
Fassbender said he鈥檚 grateful to the community for the opportunity.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great ride, a lot of fun. There are good and bad days, but I don鈥檛 regret one second of the time I鈥檝e committed to this at all.鈥�
鈥淚 love my job, I love my community. If I haven鈥檛 proven that to people over 35 years 鈥� if I鈥檝e not proven that I care about people 鈥� then I鈥檝e failed miserably.鈥�
