Is there really a civic election in Vernon this year?

[southy]

Is there really a civic election in Vernon this year and does anyone really care?

[southy]

Is Patrick NIcol still involved in civic politics? When I lived there years ago he seemed to be a thorn on alot of issues. Is he still with the radio station? Will he ever run for mayor?

[bob vernon]

Nicol did run for mayor in the past, but was defeated.

A "thorn"? He's about as non-controversial as they come. He always wants to find compromise. There are other members on council who are there to represent the "development" faction in the community and want to pave the valley cuz it makes money.
But nothing like the council in Kelowna.

No, Patrick is no longer with KissFM.

[southy]

Thanks for info Bob. I'm surprised Nicol wanting to find compromise? When I lived up there seems to me he was quite vocal in what he thought was right and it seems he felt he was right about everything. Oh well.

Can you tell me who is runnning up there, we don't hear much about your civic politics down south.

[bob vernon]

It's been really quiet so far. Candidates have until sometime Friday, October 14 to file their papers at city hall. A few have so far. A good place to look for some information would be the local paper. I have heard from someone who should know that Nicol will be running again.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_sim ... 60563.html

[coffeeFreak]

I find the silence disturbing especially considering the 'wars' our illustrious, hopefully soon to be, ex leader seems to be directly involved in. As for the council...there isn't a one that stands out.

[bob vernon]

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

This is the quietest civic election I've ever seen in Vernon.

[Rwede]

From the group of dopes I saw on the news last night that couldn't decide if 3 lanes were better than 4, you guys are in deep doodoo. Close your eyes, hold your nose, and mark an X.

[gordon_as]

I guess there must be one......... I see 5,000,000 plastic signs for some guy named Pat Davies. I generally vote for people with experience , or are active in the community. I generally won't vote for the people with the biggest litter (sign) budget.

[Putz]

Presumably lots of signs burns name recognition into your head, but I agree, looks more like litter.
I think there are two front runners for mayor Sawatzki and Lippert. I'm going with the person with convictions and nads, I know who that isn't.

[ScottSA]

Hi:

I'm one of the "dopes" running for Vernon City Council (as one of the posters here put it). Not sure if it's appropriate to post campaign literature here, but since it IS, after all, about the Vernon election, it seems not entirely inappropriate. I'll be happy to answer any questions, and with any luck convince some folks that I'm not entirely dopey:

---------------------------------------

Who I am
I'm a long-time Vernon resident, small business owner, free-lance writer, and officer in the Canadian Reserves. I've served as campaign manager in two federal elections and as a Legislative Assistant for a Member of Parliament. I have a (first class) Honours degree in Political Studies. I live with my spouse Linda (a nurse at VJH) and my 15 year old daughter, Fiona. I have a grown son named Luke and I love them all. What I dislike is excessive taxation, bloated bureaucracy, and costly utopian projects. If you share those views, I ask for your vote on November 19.

Why I'm running for Vernon City Council
Because the current City Council has become a rubber stamp for special interest groups and bureaucrats in City Hall. That's not the way it's supposed to work. What should happen - what does happen in well functioning cities - is that elected officials listen to the citizens, translate their input into goals, and order the bureaucrats to implement them. That's why I'm running - to help you take back City Hall. We need a strong new council, and if you elect me on November 19, I'll represent you - and not just the loudest voices.

What I'll do for you if you elect me
1) Listen. to. You. Yes I know everyone says that at election time, but here's what I mean by it: if City Council is considering a plan to tear up your street to make it narrower, I'll knock on every door on your street and ask what you think about it. It's not enough to just call a meeting and hope people show up. In fact, if city councillors can't even take the time to walk down the street and talk to you about disruptions to your life they have no business asking for your vote in the first place. The feedback I get from you is what will direct my vote on council.

2) Infrastructure upgrades. Our infrastructure - roads, water lines, sewer lines - is aging, and instead of upgrading it, City Council keeps throwing money at wildly expensive white elephants. If City Council comes up with yet another expensive boondoggle, like stocking Vernon Creek with rare Japanese goldfish or building a high speed rail from City Hall to the Courthouse, I'll do my best to make sure the money goes to real priorities instead.

3) Business Friendly Environment. It's common sense that Vernon depends on businesses for jobs, and commercial ventures also pay the lion's share of city taxes. Simply put, if we want to live here and thrive, we're going to need to attract more businesses. If we're going to attract more businesses, we need to remove pointless regulations. And instead of paying for another "study" with pre-determined results, we need to ask business owners themselves how we can help - both existing and prospective businesses.

4) Value for Money Audit. I'll join other financially responsible candidates in pushing for a Value for Money Audit. The results of this external review will serve as the basis for the Official Community Plan and set Vernon on the road to financial sustainability. As it stands now, city expenditures are skyrocketing, property taxes are rising, and businesses are leaving - all while our infrastructure crumbles and City Council chases expensive new projects that no one wants. You should know where your money is going - after all, you're the one paying for it.

As you can probably guess by now, if elected I won't try to be all things to all people. I believe we should leave a cleaner, more beautiful city to our children, and in order to achieve that goal I believe we have to spend responsibly, strengthen our infrastructure, and include more input from people like you. If you agree with me, I ask for your vote on November 19.

Scott Anderson
Candidate for Vernon City Council
Vote: November 19th, 2011: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Locations: 1) Recreation Complex, 3310 – 37 Avenue (Auditorium), 2) Ellison Elementary, 2400 Fulton (Gymnasium),
3) Vernon Secondary, 2303 – 18 Street (Gymnasium)

[MaryG]

"Why I'm running for Vernon City Council
Because the current City Council has become a rubber stamp for special interest groups..."

Can you please name the special interest groups...I'd like to know who they are....

Thanks.

[ScottSA]

Basically any organization with an idea. Unfortunately there's very little coherence to the implementation, so we get a widened section of road (west 43 Ave) instigated by the business lobby, followed by a narrowed section of the very same road (another part of 43rd Ave) instigated by the environmental/bike lane lobby, and a library plopped in the core in an end run around a referendum. Meanwhile, the un-sexy but very important issue of aging infrastructure just slides by into another year of water main breaks and potholes.

I'm not opposed, really, to any of the interest groups per se, but the people being forgotten in all of this are the folks who don't have an organization behind them. Take the recent bicycle lane proposal on 43 Ave - the supposed "public consultation" didn't take place until significant resources were already invested in the project, and once it became clear that there was widespread opposition to it from merchants, City Hall produced a "study" claiming that business wouldn't be hurt, and that the merchants just didn't understand the benefits. Well, I walked up and down that street talking to the merchants, and they understand it alright - they produced blueprints and email logs, and displayed a depth of understanding far beyond the superficial study produced by the CH Planning committee. It's not surprising that they understand it either - they're the ones with the most to lose.

That's why my criteria for voting on issues will be on a on a case by case basis, judged by the following criteria: (1) That they are economically feasible; (2) That the bang for the buck is worthwhile; and (3) That the people most affected by the specific changes are in agreement with them. Using this criteria, I believe we'll be able to move toward a thriving economy and a sustainable environment.

Scott Anderson

[Ingevan22]

Thanks Scott Anderson for posting your views on this discussion forum! I am glad to see you running for Council, and I hope you will be able to be part of a Council team that makes financial sustainability our first priority.

Consider our current management record:
- Vernon’s population grew 7.5% from 2005 to 2010, while the City's workforce grew 41.5%.
- Over the past 2 years, our population grew less than 0.02%, while the City's workforce grew 21% in number, and the cost of City wages increased 25%.

Our city is blessed with a fabulous Official Community Plan (OCP), and our region has recently adopted a Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) - these are truly visionary strategies that were developed with much consultation and public input.

Now we need a Council and Mayor with the COURAGE to fully support our OCP and RGS!

OCP Guiding Principles

Protect and preserve green spaces and sensitive areas
Ensure housing meets the needs of the whole community
Create a culture of sustainability
Protect agricultural land
Create strong, compact and complete neighbourhoods
Provide alternative transportation
Revitalize the Downtown
Ensure development pays for itself
Create a youth friendly city

[Putz]

Forgotten in all of this that most diets fail.
Seems like a waste when much of the year bike lanes will be impassable, unless cleared of snow. Perhaps that will be the next demand, why not.
Bikers are taxpayers too is the mantra, I agree, they are, there is just so many fewer of them. Perhaps bikers aught to be licensed and insured just as is expected of others using the road.
Bikes are permitted to use the road as it is, now that there is a lane on the right of the road designated for bikes, what is the rule, passing on the right is permitted, for bikes only? Motor vehicles drivers wanting to make a right turn have to look in the rear view mirror and shoulder check to the right to avoid a fast moving bike in the bike lane? Who's fault will an incident be when a bike and vehicle collide?