Ray Vandenberg, candidate for mayor, Town of Osoyoos. (Richard McGuire photo)
With the 2014 municipal election set for this Saturday, the Osoyoos Times wanted to give all of the candidates running to become mayor and town councillor the opportunity to make one final impression with eligible voters.
We have decided to ask each of the candidates four questions.
1.What would be your top priority during your first year in office if you are elected mayor/councillor following the November 15 municipal election?
My first priority would be total transparency by setting aside 15 to 20 minutes after every single council meeting so members of the public could engage in a question and suggestion period where anyone can address council also have council meetings in the evening so anyone that is working during the day can attend.
All councillors will have their own portfolios so the public knows who to call if they have a problem with water, sewer, and sidewalks just to mention a few. The new fire hall would also be on my priority list, providing it is within our means. Our generation has to be very careful how we spend our money so we don’t leave a debt load on our children or grandchildren. The whole world is in debt. The average citizen in the United States is in debt $44,881 plus/minus per person and its $47,139 plus/minus per person in Canada. Canada now has more average debt per person than the United States. How can we continue to put that kind of a burden on our younger generation? It is not fair. I have been called Scrooge by my children and I live up to that reputation. It the last 12 years, we have seen at least 1,000 new residences built in this town. Did our taxes go down? No. They went up by 7.3 per cent. That gave more for the past council to squander.
2. How can you make a positive difference to the Town of Osoyoos and the residents who live here?
By putting the wishes of the people of Osoyoos first. After all they live here 365 days a year and it is their tax dollars we are in control of. I have been in the construction industry for over 40 years and was very good in dealing with people and came to the conclusion that to be successful you have to be, first of all, a good listener. If I’m elected mayor, there will no more planning for property that we don’t own. This has been very evident with the Southeast Meadowlark Project. This is just squandering taxpayer dollars. I believe our town hall is grossly overstaffed and seem to justify their jobs by creating more and more bylaws.
3. What in your background qualifies you to be a good mayor/councillor?
When I became president of the Chamber of Commerce in 1982 and 1983, we had only 62 members and were in debt. After two years I turned over to the next president 144 members and a nice hefty bank account that was set aside for the next year’s promotions. When I was a Town of Osoyoos councillor in 1989 – 1990, I had close to 80 per cent of the portfolios and was also appointed to the Provincial Transport Task Force for Area 5. That was where I learned to listen and do research. I am a doer. I always have been, always will be. This is where my slogan came, from, “If you’re going to do something, do it right, or otherwise don’t bother starting.”
With my extensive experience in building and construction, I am able to assess shortcomings in these areas almost immediately, have the ability to read building plans and I’m able to identify irregularities and make corrective action. I used my experience in 1989 with the town’s sewage lagoon. One of the engineers hired by the town said of me, “It’s nice to be working with someone who knows these things.”
4. What is the most important issue, in your opinion, facing our community and what will you commit to doing about it?
The most important issue is we are a dying town because previous councils have been choking us with bylaw after bylaw. Business does not come into town unless the town is business friendly and we are going to be just that. By revising bylaws that hinder and distract business from coming to Osoyoos, we have not brought in certain full time jobs. When I put my mind to something it will be done, and done properly. I have never failed with anything I have set out to do and am not going to fail this time.
