Gregg Kauk

The mayoral and city council candidates were asked to reply to four questions that we hope will give voters a better idea on where they stand on some of the most challenging issues of the day.

1. The current city council voted 5-4 to keep Pine Valley. If this matter were to come before council again, how would you vote and why?

1. I would vote to keep Pine Valley open. It really serves no purpose to shut it down other than to make people mad . If we're looking to cut costs, let's start at City Hall first, then move on to city-run agencies like IPG, and delve into city-owned land.It will be a long while before Pine Valley surfaces on the "cuts" radar again if we really start digging into re-organizing, cost-justifying, and re-purposing our internal delivery of local government to Prince George taxpayers.

2. City council voted 8-1 in favour of the Northern Recovery Centre for Women in the former Haldi Road elementary school. How would you have voted and why? (Incumbents: how did you vote and why?)

2. I would not have supported the zoning change for Haldi Road. The area was not zoned appropriately for the purpose of the applicant and changing the zoning is perceived to negatively affect the current residents.

3. The current city council gave its bargaining committee a target of a net-zero increase to negotiate a new collective agreement with city workers, leading to the first-ever labour disruption by municipal staff. What will be your recommendation when the current collective agreements for city workers expire in 2016 and why?

3. If we start treating our city workers respectfullyby taking their suggestions and advice seriously, if we eliminate the top-heavy management count at City Hall and replace the City Manager and ineffective superintendents with local Prince George talent, if we re-organize City Hall to re-define departments by the service they deliver to the taxpayers...then we will change the corporate culture within the City and realize cost-savings at the same time. We should not wait for 2016 before addressing the CBA. Work should be ongoing.

4. Why should residents vote in the Nov. 15 municipal election?

4. There are so many candidates running for a seat on city council this election, theremust besome dissatisfaction out there with how this last council has run.On the 15th, you can pick someone who wants to do it the way you would. Get to know some of the candidates. Find someone who shares your interests.You're hiring your own representative on council to spend your tax money on stuff that matters to you.