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.
My name is Jordan Gadsby. I moved to Prince George in 2001 and am currently a Pastor at Gateway Christian Ministries and the owner of Nextep Media Ltd. I have worked in an accounting office and as a Community Recreation Coordinator, Youth Pastor, and Contractor.
Much of my community involvement is in cooperation with Gateway Christian Ministries. I have been actively involved in making our community a great place for everyone through things such as: The Great Toy Giveaway, Adopt-a-Block, Food Bank, clothes drives, and The Samaritan Inn recovery home for women. I have also been involved with Roots of Empathy, Scouts Canada, coaching soccer and judo, numerous fundraising events, and a Toastmasters' club executive.
I know the importance of listening to people, understanding important issues, and working hard to see positive results. As part of my job, I am a responsible steward of money that is not my own. The money that Prince George operates on is the same; it belongs to the taxpayers.
I am running for council because I love Prince George. We have access to recreation and the outdoors, affordable housing, amazing people, and so much potential. I want to share these things with others and change the negative image that some people have about our great city.
We need:
Responsible decisions that are good for us now, and also for future generations.
Responsible borrowing that doesn't leave us with outstanding debts that we are unable to pay off.
Responsible spending, which doesn't mean that we don't spend money at all, it means that we spend money where we will see the best results.
Responsible maintenance of our infrastructure and assets.
It's unfortunate that people have lost trust in government. The people you elect need to represent you and your interests. I will work to re-build trust through clear, open, and honest communication.
One way I will do this is by publishing my campaign financing statements on my website, www.jordangadsby.com, prior to the election.
Some reports have indicated that there is a problem with the spending at City Hall.
There needs to be a re-evaluation of city spending in order to reduce tax increases and provide exceptional city services that draw others to our city. We need to streamline and re-evaluate the budget to ask: what is money being spent on? Why is it being spent there? And how important is it to spend this money?
Prince George isn't great because of government; it is great because of the people who live here.
The successful management and growth of our city depends on increased trust in government. This happens if are open and honest in our communication; enabling citizens to engage in the decision making process.
We need to listen to the needs of citizens and make responsible decisions that will make our city greater than it already is.
For trust, honesty, and responsibility, vote Jordan Gadsby on Nov. 19.
