Sitting in on council meetings, looking out over the audience and staff table towards the faces of Delta’s councillors, it is easy to pick out strong women to admire.
There’s Counc. Heather King, a stalwart supporter of heritage in Delta and the Ladner community. There’s Counc. Jeannie Kanakos, often seen leaning over to chat with King during council meetings, who gives of the impression of determined seriousness when asking questions. There’s Sylvia Bishop, who just announced her bid for mayor after seven years in the councillor’s seat, and of course, mayoral juggernaut Lois Jackson, who’s been a firecracker on council for longer than I’ve been alive.
READ MORE: Looking back with Delta Mayor Lois Jackson
Even from staff, Delta has no shortage of admirable women: city clerk Robyn Anderson, who somehow manages to keep council agendas straight every meeting; social planner Gillian McLeod, who puts so much passion into her presentations; and manager of budgets and taxation Vivien Koo, who’s rare appearances in the hall are backed by interest in, and patience for, complicated calculations.
But if I were to choose a role model at the City of Delta, my choice would be Marcy Sangret.
Director of community planning and development, Sangret has been part of Delta’s staff for 15 years. Recently promoted to her position from deputy director, she is responsible for some of the key issues facing Deltans today: potential developments, residential property changes and the official community plans.
When she responds to individuals who are speaking in anger or frustration at public hearings, I am consistently impressed by what I can only describe as her clarity and understanding. When explaining complex issues to council members, she is concise and decisive. Her responses are informational, often gracious and always respectful.
Although I can’t speak to her work within the City of Delta’s planning department, externally Sangret is a calm, collected leader. She can take complicated topics and distill them down to essential, comprehensible points.
I’ve seen this most prominently in discussions around the revised Delta zoning bylaw — a gargantuan file that covers all areas of Delta, and has particular implications for residential properties. This undertaking saw Sangret bring together more than 40 years of zoning amendments into one new bylaw.
The work involved was immense, and not unnoticed by council.
“Ms. Sangret, I really appreciate what you and your staff have done,” Counc. Bruce McDonald said at the Feb. 19 council meeting. “This is clear, it’s concise, it’s understandable — and there was no tone-deafness here at all.”
High praise on something as complex and comprehensive as a zoning bylaw, and well-deserved.
So on this International Women’s Day, I’d like to take a moment to honour the Marcy Sangrets of the world: the women who know their stuff, explain it well and make difficult tasks seem possible.
SEE ALSO: Delta has the ‘right mix’ for women leaders
grace.kennedy@northdeltareporter.com
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