Age/occupation: 63, city councillor
Terry O'Neill has spent much of his life as a writer, commenting on the foibles of government and its supporting bureaucracy. But for the last three years he has found himself on the other side of the media/politics divide, after he was elected to city council during the 2011 civic election.
The Eagle Ridge neighbourhood resident said he has learned a lot during his first term, particularly when it comes to co-operation and consensus building with staff and his council colleagues.
"My background was primarily at the federal and provincial level and I was very comfortable with the opposition-versus-government model," he said. "As a council, we are kind of the government's face of Coquitlam. In some ways, we really have to have one voice."
One area where council has been united surrounds the Riverview Hospital lands.
Before he was elected O'Neill said he was quite laissez faire when it came to the 244-acre property but has since come to understand the importance of the land to the community.
"We are very thankful to the [provincial] government for not selling everything off," he said. "We all appreciate the value of the trees and the heritage buildings there."
O'Neill also has a realistic approach to budgeting and said he is proud that Coquitlam has limited its property tax increases during the three years he's been on council.
While he does not believe a tax reduction is possible, he notes that the rate of increase has dropped consistently over the course of his term.
