Prince George goes to the polls Nov. 19 to determine who will be their municipal leaders for the next three years.
In an effort to better inform the community on the 24 candidates running for a seat on Prince George municipal council, The Citizen sent out a form to all hopefuls with a series of questions that we hope will reveal their histories, priorities, qualifications and personalities.
Here are what they had to say.
Running for mayor
1. Name: Brandon Lewis
2. Occupation(s) (past and/or present): Manager - Census 2011, Statistics Canada, field engineer - Steam Plant, CPLP (North Wood), home renovator - AVF Home
Improvements.
3. Community involvement and contributions: I am an officer with the Royal Canadian Army Cadets and have spent time volunteering at many organizations in town including the Salvation Army and Royal Canadian Legion. I have also been actively coaching volleyball at College Heights secondary school and with the Prince George Youth Volleyball Club for three years.
4. Other pertinent qualifications: I have a degree from UNBC in mathematics and my fourth class power engineering certification.
Obtaining the Massey Memorial Sword for being the top candidate on my basic officer training for the military is also high on my list.
5. Why are you running for council? Having been born and raised in Prince George, I have seen the direction that past councils have taken and it is time for a complete change in the municipal
government.
New ideas need to be introduced and the people of Prince George need a group that will listen to their issues and respond in an appropriate manner. The council needs a strong leader in the role of mayor that I can provide from my life experiences.
6. What can you uniquely bring to the city? Out of all of the candidates running for mayor I am able to provide the unique perspective of a young individual and of the upcoming workforce.
7. What are your most pressing issues? The fiscal responsibility of the local government is a huge concern for not only the citizens of Prince George but is frowned upon across the province. Taking a long look at the budget and making the appropriate decisions on where funds are allocated will be a big job for the next council.
Another big issue for me is the amount of business investment in Prince George and the roadblocks that a new business must face when looking to start up in Prince George. The process for beginning a business should not be as complicated as it is and all businesses should be allowed the opportunity to grow with ease.
8. How do you propose to address those issues? My decision making process is very analytical; this will give me the ability to look with a keen eye at the budget and make decisions on where money should be spent. Another goal would be to address the building and renovation permits for businesses in town as well as the signage laws to allow future growth in current and
upcoming businesses.
9. What do you hope to accomplish in your three-year term should you be elected? I hope to begin the process of sending the town in a new direction towards improving the reputation, financial situation and population's image of city council in our amazing city.
To make sure that I see everything I said in my campaign started or at the very minimum be brought to the attention of council with
serious discussion is a must for me.
