With typical humor and uncharacteristic tears, Royce Pollard stood before his friends on Friday and did something he’s never had to do: concede political defeat. The gruff but affable Vancouver mayor had been re-elected six times, so this was not some routine speech before a local civic club. “Losing an election is no fun, but I accept and respect” what happened last week, he said.
Three hours later, Pollard’s disappointment was quantified. Updated results from the elections office showed challenger Tim Leavitt leading with 54.3 percent of the votes, with an estimated 99 percent of the votes counted.
On Friday, the No. 1 cheerleader of “America’s Vancouver” was out of his element, acknowledging the end of 14 years as mayor and 20 years of service on the City Council. But the respectful, graceful and collaborative attitude he displayed was good for his legacy, good for Leavitt as he prepares to take the municipal helm and good for Pollard’s beloved city as it enters this leadership transition.
Two of Pollard’s specific points carried special meaning:
First, he is not going away. “Someday I will die, but between now and then, I have no intention of fading away,” he said. That was good to hear. There are a lot of races left in this old horse, and there’s no reason for him to head for any pasture. “There is much more to do,” he said.
Pollard does not know what role he will play as he continues to serve his community. “There are lots of opportunities and there’s a lot of time to talk about that,” he noted. “I have great faith in this city, and I have no intention of abandoning my vision or this city’s vision.”
And then came a qualifying comment: “But I will not interfere.” Those five words must be music to the ears of voters who believe it’s time for new leadership in Vancouver.
And that’s the second key point. The same man who once smashed a Portland coffee mug to show his love for his city — the same man who aggressively answered critics of the bold, progressive steps taken during his mayoral reign — on Friday vowed to stay out of his successor’s way. “We’ll keep this smooth and keep the city moving forward.”
To Leavitt’s credit, he has expressed similar dedication to a seamless transition. His campaign manager, Temple Lentz, said in a Friday Columbian story: “Tim is definitely going to reach out to Mr. Pollard.” Leavitt will have a press conference Wednesday to offer details about how the torch will be passed.
And so, come January, Pollard’s political career will end. In the Army, he served his nation for 26 years. At City Hall, he served his community for 20 years, with more service to come in some other capacity.
How Pollard’s legacy will unfold remains to be seen, but one of the most effective ways to judge his time as mayor is to conduct a before-and-after analysis. Few cities witness a tripling of population size during the terms of one mayor, but it happened in Vancouver. And just as east Vancouver has enjoyed numerous new benefits in programs, services, infrastructure and public buildings, downtown Vancouver has been revitalized in ways that few people envisioned before Pollard took over as mayor. Waterfront access and redevelopment is gaining momentum.
“I’ve come to love this city and its people more dearly that I could imagine,” he said. “I will miss serving as mayor.” But Pollard’s word is solid, and when he says he’ll keep serving Vancouver in other ways, he means it.
