My wife Jiskje and I are long-term residents of Port Alberni. I was employed as division fire warden at MacMillan Bloedel’s Sproat logging division until that operation shut down. I am now working at West Coast General Hospital as the lead security officer.
I am a former I.W. A. executive board member. I have served the past six years on the city’s Advisory Planning Commission. I am experienced in negotiation and consensus decision making.
I believe we need more open debate at city hall and more transparent decision making.
Like many, I think we have to continue to diversify our economy if we are to reach our full potential. We have the opportunity to become the major service centre for the West Coast and also draw business from the mideast Coast.
In order to move forward in that direction we have to address some major issues. We need to concentrate on our core services: water supply, water mains, sewage system and roads.
If you want to attract new business development you have to have the infrastrucure to support it.
We have some serious deficiencies in our infrastructure and we need to do some long range strategic planning for replacing and upgrading services and roads.
I believe council has to provide more oversight on how tax dollars are spent. We do not always have to look for outside “expertise” or do another study. we have some very bright, talented people right here. Let’s put that underutilized resource to work.