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.
1. Name: Brian Skakun
2. Occupation: Power Engineer Intercon Pulp
3. Community involvement: I supported groups like the Spirit of the North Health Care Foundation, Salvation Army Kettle Campaign, United Way and other organizations with promotional and fundraising efforts.
4. Other pertinent qualifications: As a three term city councillor I have live in Prince George for 43 years and know what the important issues are.
5. Why are you running for council? I have a desire to improve a system that has been content with the status quo. It's time for fresh air, new ideas and greater transparency in government. I feel I represent the majority when they say local government needs to change and be more responsive to those they serve.
6. What can you uniquely bring to the city? I bring strength of character and know when to stand up and fight for what's right. I will not be intimidated into making decisions that are not morally or ethically right. My duty and loyalty is not just to the City of Prince George but it is also to the people that elected me.
7. What are your most pressing issues? Growing and diversifying our regional economy. This will enable us to help grow our tax base to be able to invest more in our infrastructure and protective services without raising taxes. Improvements with internal processes at City Hall will ensure you are getting value for your tax dollars and that we spend those funds responsibly.
Just increasing our road maintenance budget is not enough. A review of our asphalt management program is needed to ensure we are not wasting money year after year on repairs and repaving.
The city can take a leading role in working with the small business community to create jobs, enhance their viability and increase their confidence in their markets.
Supporting environmental initiatives that focus on improving our air quality and implementing curbside recycling are important.
Home builders to industrial developers doing business with City Hall need to know that their business is valued and the city will do all it can to ensure their development application is done in a timely and fair manner.
City council needs to support the RCMP and Fire Department with initiatives that will improve the delivery of their services without negative impacts on the budget. The City needs to lobby senior governments aggressively so that they can pay their fair share of these costs.
8. How do you propose to address those issues? The new city council needs to pull together as a dedicated team to lead in the development of an achievable work plan to meet these goals. Once our goals are set, we need to work with local residents, city employees and community partners to implement the vision of the new city council.
9. What do you hope to accomplish in your three-year term should you be elected?
I hope to have a proud and vibrant community that is an attractive place that people want to invest and live in.
