(The man whom everyone knows in Oliver answers questions during his re-election bid.)
Q: What compelled you to seek re-election again.
A: Being on a board or council can be serious business but fun at the same time. I like it – listening and moving ideas forward in a team fashion. This council took about 18 months to gel and it’s set to do many creative things in the next four years. Experience helps because both staff and council time is not spent re-learning history. The town has lost a lot of experienced senior staff and it’s important to keep the continuity of leadership.
Q: What more do you want to accomplish on council?
A: Much. We are in the middle of upgrading sidewalks, roads, civic parks with a need for upgrading Main Street and Centennial Park. I want to see that accomplished with a lot of other things in the next term.
Q: How have you become a better councillor, a better representative of the people?
A: My job as I see it is to help ideas and people together around the decision table. Many think you just bring ideas and others do it. Or debate thing endlessly. Not so. The role of a councillor as part of a team is to shepherd the idea through to completion. It is not a quick process.
Q: What issues do you think council needs to address to make Oliver a better place to live?
A: Growth control and plan. Getting big is not our target. Getting better at what we do is. Jobs. Attracting industry. I think the councils I have been on in the last nine years have done much to bring jobs and dollars to Oliver – airport business, mall retail business, correctional facility, industrial use of land and buildings and joint service operations.
Q: What more can council do to boost the local economy?
A: The Town creates the infrastructure and the look. We can do better on both of those fronts. Focus of a new council must be on the Highway 97 (Main Street) and what is on both sides of it. We must be a catalyst for change.
Q: What have you personally done on council that you feel proud of?
A: Many things have made me proud of our community and all the decisions were made by a team, not one individual. This is a farming community. Let’s support the ALR and agriculture.
Q: What do you want to see change in Oliver?
A: We need a proactive policy of cleaning our town every day. Yes, there are spots on Main Street and in older areas of the village that make me wince. Policy and direction must change soon.
We need to re-configure Centennial Park to accomplish two things – better and safer access to visitors and a public area near Fairview that is open to all year round. More services could be provided by the town in this area and could act as a catalyst to other improvements on Station Street. The town must engage Main Street and become an active partner.
Q: What is your view on the national park?
A: Urge the province and federal governments to get back to the table or in the alternative – a provincial plan to integrate dedicated areas into one managed land mass. All of us must have a say, not just a municipal government supporting one side against others.
Q: Can council be more transparent? How?
A: At every opportunity council has made decisions to make information freely available. Media and public don’t attend in-camera meetings. But many decisions are released to the public. Those meetings are limited in scope and deal with labour matters and land items. I believe the politicians and the staff are very open to the public and the media.
Q: Do you think the Town should be more aggressive on bylaw enforcement?
A: More bylaw enforcement is needed but the dollars have to be budgeted to get that done. We must become pro-active on enforcing bylaws and responding to complaints. We have power – we should use it to keep the community safe/clean and welcoming for everyone.
Q: Why vote for you again (remember, charm doesn’t count).
A: I trust the electorate to make good decisions on election day. Voters have shown trust in me and I hope to represent them well. Bennest listens, Bennest shows leadership. Please vote on election day or at the advance poll.
