Monday, November 7, 2011

2nd WL Mayoralty Forum

In a tightly packed room at the TRU Cafeteria at 7pm Monday - Williams Lake residents' came out for a final time to hear from Mayoralty Candidates Kerry Cook, Scott Nelson and Walt Cobb

After a 1 minute opening statement from each candidate - a question and answer period ensued including:

1) Do economic benefits supersede human and other social factors when it comes to resource development, like a mine?

2) How will you vote on renewing the Co-Gen Plant's Water Use Agreement in 2012, in addition to local industry usage of treated City water in their operations?

3) With regard to the City's new OCP/ICSP - how will you implement a livable/sustainable City?

4) How would you ensure sustainted or improved local government services, like the local pool?

5) How will you get local business to have more sustainable practices or even get "green businesses" to locate to Williams Lake?

6) Defend the responsibility of local government for the promotion of local food security?

7) Will you support or even expedite the transfer of Cariboo Lodge to a local seniors housing body?

Editor's Note - while Scott Nelson and Walt Cobb were supportive of this proposal, Kerry Cook suggested that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to do so, given the terms of the contact that saw the City acquire Cariboo Lodge for $10 in early 2008, however Scott Nelson later rebutted saying that he would sub-lease Cariboo Lodge to the local seniors housing body for $1 for a 50 or 100 year lease

8) If elected - how would your platform address the needs of young professionals setting up their home in Williams Lake?

9) What role should the mountain biking sector play in City planning?

10) Will you work towards an arrangement with IHA (Interior Health) for bus services to Kelowna for those requiring cancer care?

11) How will you work with local First Nations?

12) What is your stance with regard to investment in the Arts sector

The forum then concluded at 8:33pm
Those in attendance included WL City Councillor candidates Steve Forseth, Paul Kandola, Mike Bouchard, Peter Bowman, Gord Keener, Tenessa Fairburn, Surinderpal Rathor, Laurie Walters, Sue Zacharias, CRD Area 'E' Director hopeful Stacy Wong and School District #27 Zone 5 Trustee hopeful Dr. Sheila Boehm


The next forum will be Monday, November 14th at 7:00pm in the TRU Gym for the 13 Williams Lake City Councillor Candidates (Tenessa Fairburn has already served notice that she is unable to attend)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Regarding Nelson's rebuttal.

There was an agreement in place before the dialogue began that there would be no rebuttals. Which Cobb and Cook adhered to.

Guess Nelson doesn't feel the need to keep his promises. We have seen that aspect of his character before.

Anonymous said...

What Nelson didn't mention in his rebuttal was the cost to bring 'give this building back to the seniors'.

He said it is a 3 million property. Anyone that has been in it knows that is pure BS. That building is a gut.

With his promise of a 0/0/0 tax increase if he is elected I can only assume that we will be doing some pretty massive borrowing again like his last term as Mayor.

IF he is elected.