Lumby councillor candidate questions week 2 - Chamber of Commerce

Response to Lumby and District Chamber of Commerce Week 2 questions

(Saturday AM, October 29, 2011)

1. What practical, researched and considered ideas do you have to bring employment to Lumby and area? (Long term or short term employment). (Home based basket weaving is not an option).

Studies have been done in the past looking at economic drivers for Lumby. These studies are still relevant. Some assets, such as natural resources, agriculture, and the natural beauty of the surrounding area are still available.

One of my first tasks will be to revisit all the good work that was contributed by many community members and evaluate where we stand. Why reinvent the wheel?

Sustainability is important. A previous post addressed how our community can produce something to sell while retaining our natural assets.

ps. Home-based basket weaving is OK with me. Apple started as a home-based enterprise, which found a market that provided a fairly decent living for its owners.

pps. For review,  here is my response to a similar question at the 2009 forum. 

2. If you are elected on to council, would you support the idea of Lumby hosting British Columbia's biggest prison yes or no. If no why not? If yes, please describe the negotiating position you will take for the village in order to compensate for the associated additional need for more policing services, health and social services, lack of public transportation, sewage system, and lack of services at proposed locations and advise if, how, and when you will allow public participation into the final agreement between council and province.

Yes. The people of Lumby voted for a prison and should it be awarded to this community I will respect their wishes. However, the Village is currently negotiating from a position of weakness – that the prison is our only economic option – so I will be searching for other options in the meantime.

The Village infrastructure must benefit from the prison, and we should not be disadvantaged in the future by unforeseen or unsupported social costs.

3. Would you be in favour of exploring the idea of expansion of Lumby Village boundary, in able to increase the tax base and possible change of Lumby from a village to a municipality? (This idea has both good and bad implications for the village).

I am open to the possibility of expanding our boundaries but I understand that this is a decision made democratically by those who would be brought into the Village. Yes, I am in favour but only after a study of costs and benefits to the Village and that our water and sewer systems can handle the expansion. Communication with Village taxpayers during the process will be an important responsibility of Council.