Long-term school board trustee and chairperson Lyn Hall has entered the race for city council.
Hall has served 10 years as a trustee of the Prince George School District, including five as chairperson of the board of education.
"I commit to you that I will bring a strong work ethic to the job," Hall said. "Financial accountability is important. I see myself as only a caretaker of taxpayer dollars. [And] I'm no stranger to what it's like to scrimp and get by."
Hall was chairperson of the district in 2010 when the board was forced to cut $5.2 million from its budget due primarily to changes in provincial government funding and legislation. The board closed six schools, reconfigured three others and eliminated the equivalent of 84 full-time jobs.
Hall said he knows how to make tough financial decisions when millions of taxpayer dollars are on the line - and that it is critical to listen to people before making those decisions.
"People want that consultation piece we did with the school board. I'm talking about neighbourhood and community meetings. Even if it's one-on-one with a single councillor," Hall said. "Part of what I always want to do is be accessible to people."
If elected to council, Hall added, he would work with the mayor and councillors to build a unified team.
"It's important as a new councillor and new council to set some three-year priorities," he said. "Issues I would like us to talk about are our taxes and tax rates, infrastructure needs and roads. I'm excited about what we can achieve - what we can build on. It's up to all of us to create a strong, vibrant community."
Hall has strong ties to the community and hopes to build a stronger relationship between the City of Prince George, school district, UNBC and College of New Caledonia.
School board trustee Trish Bella attended Hall's announcement outside City Hall on Friday. Bella said the school board's loss is the city's gain.
"I've been 10 years on the board and I felt the time is right," Hall said. "After 10 years, the board will need new eyes and perhaps a new approach."
