91原创 City mayor Ted Schaffer won鈥檛 be running in the next municipal election.

鈥淢y intent was to seek another term,鈥� Schaffer said in a statement prepared for Monday night鈥檚 council meeting.

鈥淗owever, about 16 months ago I started having some health issues, and although I will be having a procedure in the New Year to correct this issue, it made me realize spending time with my family is so very important.鈥�

Schaffer declined to be more specific about his health during an interview with The Times, only saying it was nothing more than 鈥渁 couple of little health issues.鈥�

By the time his term ends, Schaffer will have served 25 years on 91原创 City council, 19-and-a-half years as a councillor, and five-and-a-half years as mayor.

鈥淚 have enjoyed serving this community, but believe it鈥檚 time to retire,鈥� Schaffer said.

This will mark his second retirement from politics.

Schaffer was first elected to 91原创 City council in 1990. He served continuously until 2008 before taking a three-year break and then won re-election in November, 2011.

He said he stepped away because of the overwhelming demands of a job he took after retiring from 35 years with the city of New Westminster. The job was in Gloucester Estates with a major hydro electric contractor, where he found himself putting in eleven-and-a-half hour days.

READ MORE: Ted Schaffer seeks his old seat on City council

Schaffer was named acting 91原创 City mayor after the city council decided against holding a byelection to replace then-incumbent mayor Peter Fassbender, after Fassbender won a seat as a Liberal MLA in Surrey in the May 2013 provincial election.

At the time, he said he hadn鈥檛 thought about the mayorship before the provincial election, and wasn鈥檛 sure if he would run in the next election.

Schaffer, who was unopposed for the position, filled the acting role for the next 16 months until the municipal election.

READ MORE: Schaffer elected to lead City as acting mayor

Then, he removed the 鈥渁cting鈥� title by running and winning the election as mayor in the 2014 municipal mayoralty race, defeating his nearest opponent, Randy Caine, by more than 2,000 votes.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a big relief,鈥� Schaffer said following his victory.

鈥淚鈥檓 just going to work very, very hard for this community.鈥�

Schaffer invited the unsuccessful candidates to 鈥渕aybe put their names on a few [municipal] committees.鈥�

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When asked about his accomplishments as mayor, Schaffer said he preferred to talk about the achievements of council and municipal staff working together.

鈥淚 have the utmost respect for the City of 91原创 council and staff,鈥� Schaffer said.

鈥淭hey continue to work tirelessly to make this community a great place to live, work and play.鈥�

He cited infrastructure projects, including improvements to roads, park and municipal facilities like the Timms centre.

During his term as mayor, 91原创 City became the first Canadian municipality to invest with the Bank of China, purchasing a $100,000 term deposit on terms that Schaffer thought were comparable to those offered by Canadian banks.

Schaffer said the agreement has encouraged developers to invest in 91原创 City projects.

鈥淚t opened up a lot of doors,鈥� Schaffer said.

鈥淚t put 91原创 on the map.鈥�

The process that led to the Bank of China deal started after another Canadian financial institution closed down its 91原创 City branch and the City began looking for a bank willing to set up shop locally.

While the Bank of China wasn鈥檛 prepared to open a branch, it was interested in a win-win agreement where the bank could show that it can handle municipal investments and the City could show it can do deals with international businesses.

The bank confirmed the 91原创 agreement was the first municipal government deposit it has received in the more than 20 years it has been operating in Canada.

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Schaffer and his wife Jean have been married for 44 years and have lived in the City for 37. They are parents of two adult daughters and four grandchildren.

He said he and his wife intend to remain residents of 91原创 City, and he hopes to 鈥渧olunteer in a minor capacity with a local group or organization鈥� after his latest retirement.

Fassbender undecided

Former City mayor Peter Fassbender, who lost his seat in the last provincial election, told The Times some people have suggested he should run in the next municipal election, but he has made no decision, one way or the other, about seeking a return to the mayor鈥檚 chair.

鈥淚鈥檝e made no long-term decisions,鈥� Fassbender said.

鈥淲e鈥檒l see what the future holds.鈥�

Right now, Fassbender said, he鈥檚 busy working on the campaign of provincial Liberal leadership hopeful Todd Stone.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 my focus,鈥� Fassbender said.

dan.ferguson@langleytimes.com
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