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.
I am 62 years old, have three grown children, and three wonderful grandchildren. I am also retired from a long and proud 31-year career at BCRail.
While working there, I took part representing trainpersons on various committees. My wife, Wendy, and I are also self-employed. We owned and operated a motel for seven years, then a dump truck for a dozen years, and now, most recently invested in a hi-way tractor. I can make real, blue-collar business decisions.
I am for full disclosure of city business to the public. I disapprove of secrets, because the meeting door is closed, unless there are valid reasons for confidentiality, such as negotiations. City purchases, after the fact, should not be kept secret. I ran three years ago stating hold the line on taxes.
Since then, sewer-water-garbage bill is up more than 33 per cent. Stop increasing those utilities. I do mean hold the line on taxes, watch the dollars, and be more conservative with spending.
I believe that city income gains can only come from growth, not from tax hikes. I support paying fair wages and benefits to our city employees. Our city manager should make a good top income; there is a perception of many managers at that top scale. I am in favor of our municipal government doing a management review.
I would support annual dredging at the mouth of the Nechako River to prevent ice from backing up; also would gain a little gravel. At low water in some years, the river mouth is only inches deep.
We lost more than our share of forestry jobs with a number shut down mills and a plywood plant to fire. Senior government was just here with job creation ideas.
Here would be an opportunity to draw attention to those companies. Job incentives here could create good forest kind of employment back to Prince George and area. We need to keep great construction opportunities, maintains a healthy balance, and keeps the wheel turning; local businesses are then healthy too.
While in local businesses, I have met people shopping here from outside communities. Here is an opportunity for Prince George to capture more dollars from outside our city, by making stays easier.
Give a little to those shoppers from encompassing communities, a discounted nice stay, linked to store visits and or dollars spent, keep them in town a little longer, add a pass to local attractions. We lost downtown pride years ago, when residential zoning was eliminated. Bring residence back downtown.
It would make the area safer, as all neighborhoods have watchful eyes. I have been here and around for 38 years, I met many good people and I hope they all cast their ballot for me.
I hope to get on council with Brian Skakun, as I trust him and he represents all. We have councillors from all walks of life. A lawyer, storeowners, a pulp mill worker, you are short a railroader. You should elect, retired conductor Harry Ulch.
