To kick off our municipal election coverage, The Interior News asked all the candidates to prepare a 250-word submission that answered the following questions:
1. What is the most pressing issue facing your municipality?
2. As mayor/councillor, what do you intend to do to address that issue?
3. What is it about your background, experience, knowledge and/or personality you believe makes you qualified/suitable to be successful in the position you are seeking?
Thorough financial and budgetary considerations are the most pressing issue within the municipality.
In general, there are two ways to address a budget deficit: raising taxes or cutting services. If I am elected to the Smithers Town Council, I will do everything in my power to first avoid, then mitigate the impact of either of these scenarios.
I am eager to work on a third option. I believe we can secure substantial funding to help supplement our existing budget and avoid serious adverse financial consequences.
I am also interested in a thorough financial analysis of our budget to see where we can cut spending without cutting services.
Community and family are very important to me. My partner and stepkids were born and raised in Smithers.
Prior to moving to Smithers, I was a component chair within the provincial union (BCGEU) and regional young worker representative.
I’ve been a member of the Bulkley Valley Kinsmen for 10 years. I quickly found myself going up in the ranks and was later voted in as president. For many years I did the finances for the Telkwa BBQ, along with the finances for my small local business, The Peak Beard Company.
Most people who know me know my love for financial numbers and how detail-oriented I am and the transparency behind it.
I am not afraid to take a stand and am steadily focussed on what makes sense.