City councillor Murry Krause has always been in it for the long haul.
And after five terms in local government and more than 40 years of community service, Krause is again putting his name on the ballot for the role of councillor.
First elected to city council in 1996, Krause served one term before losing his seat in the next election. He was returned to council in 2002, where he has sat for four consecutive terms.
Krause announced his intentions at the Native Friendship Centre on Thursday morning, in front of about two dozen supporters, which included firefighters and fellow former Citizen of the Year, Shirley Gratton.
"I've always been ready to step up and do the extra work," said Krause, who rattled off a long list of committee and organization affiliations to which he has contributed to, in addition to his nearly 20 years as executive director of the Central Interior Native Health Society.
Krause was also elected to the Union of B.C. Municipalities' executive as third vice president during last week's convention.
"My commitment is to use my time on UBCM to represent Prince George and northern British Columbia in a good way and bring the knowledge of best practices of other local governments back to Prince George," he said. "If it all works out, I could be the first president of UBCM from Prince George in UBCM's history."
As in previous elections, Krause's platform features heavily on the social aspects of the community. Among the issues he said he is committed to, if re-elected, are the alleviation of homelessness and provision of affordable housing, reconciliation with First Nations and aboriginal residents and the advancement of the food security discussion.
And while maintaining city assets and infrastructure are also part of his re-election commitment, "communities are more than just pipes and potholes," said Krause. "It's about the people who live here. It's my place to represent the diverse opinions as effectively and energetically as I can."
