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 Dave Wilbur and I have contributed leadership, experience, commonsense and a thoughtful independent voice to council. I am seeking your support for re-election.
My knowledge and skill sets from over 30 years of being a Prince George lawyer and from decades as a leader with community development organizations have contributed value to council. I have increased my value by taking on extra and important work for council and our region, including:
As a member of council's RCMP building working group
As acting chair of the Regional District Hospital Board we contributed $4 million to our Cancer Clinic
As chair of the 911 committee we oversaw contracts that linked up the 911 service throughout the North. We can all travel safer because of that
Being elected as a director at large to the North Central Local Government Association
As a trustee on the Prince George Library Board
As a Hospice board director
During the 2008 campaign I promised to focus on safety in the community.
Council's plan to make the downtown safer and open for business and residential growth was built on safety first.
The introduction of the five member Downtown Enforcement Unit was critical to the plan. Also critical was identifying negative influences, like activities occurring around the Cadillac Ranch and the Prince George Hotel.
The validity of the DEU and the actions taken concerning negative influences were proven by the recent RCMP report which demonstrated major crime is down 80 per cent.
In 2008 I identified the need to revisit the location, design and cost of the RCMP building. My joining the RCMP working group led to changes that pared off over $8 million.
I have consistently looked for cost reductions and fought against tax increases. If re-elected I will continue to search for cost reductions. I am confident that a shared sense of the need to identify efficiencies, priorities and control escalating costs will lead to sustainable choices.
I am committed to continuing to look for cost reductions and continue the fight against tax increases.
For me these are the most pressing issues over the next three years.
I had community safety in mind when I co-sponsored a Motion that lead to Substances Abuse Production Bylaws which have successfully targeted grow-ops and gang crime.
A few of the most important achievements that the city had significant impact on are:
The community is safer today but more work needs to be done
The goal to reclaim the downtown has begun, and the table has been set to attract new third party investment
Community pride delivered the 2015 games and the Corporal Darren Fitzpatrick Bravery Park
The dream of a Northern Cancer clinic has become true.
For leadership, experience, commonsense and a thoughtful independent voice re-elect Wilbur, the last name on the ballot.
