The Mayoralty race in Prince Rupert features two familiar names to the city's' residents. Names with a long history and attachment to the city, both men former Mayors now seeking their return to the political scene after a few years of hibernation.
The Northern View continued on with their thumbnail sketches of the candidates, this time focusing on the two contestants for the chair vacated by Herb Pond.
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Jack Mussallem
Published: November 04, 2008 11:00 PM
Updated: November 05, 2008 3:29 PM
The roles of a Mayor are
many and varied. The candidate must have a thorough understanding of how a local government corporation properly operates. This is learned through years of local government experiences.
As important, the Mayor must completely comprehend the seriousness of the responsibilities that come with those roles, and residents’ needs.
Always being fair minded, realistic and practical, also approachable, and both team and goal oriented. The mayor works with City Council as a team leader, represents the City as Chief Executive Officer, and is the official spokesperson.
Born and raised in Prince Rupert into a third generation pioneer family, educated here and down south, I have 23 years of local government experience, including as your mayor in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999.
While optimistic about Prince Rupert’s future involving new port facilities and other opportunities, we must recognize our challenges. High debt greatly encumbers our quality of life, aging infrastructure needs continuous repair and upgrade, residents request additional recreation and programs and facilities with minimal tax increases.
Should City Council agree existing programs, facilities and services remain at current levels, the infrastructure and debt problems must still be conquered.
Mayor and Council must attain operational efficiencies using a balanced approach. I am confident saying this, as my education, knowledge and experience involves local government with 14 and a half years previous employment with our city.
Citizens can expect our city government to operate well and their issues and concerns dealt with in a timely manner.
Council must optimize opportunities to increase revenues beyond only increasing your property taxes annually. City properties can be sold for residential, retail and commercial development. That expands the tax roll, increases revenues, provides construction, and year round employment.
Other considerations are encouraging Armed Forces to operate a patrol vessel here; using a grant writer to increase federal and provincial government funding, summer fuel prices, encouraging the use of our Airport, embarking and disembarking Alaska cruise ships and promoting our coastal City as a livable community with affordable housing.
Don Scott
Published: November 04, 2008 11:00 PM
Updated: November 05, 2008 3:30 PM
Born and raised in Prince Rupert, for four generations my family has lived continuously in this community. I grew up in a home where the value and importance of public service was a given, which continued throughout my adult life.
For much of my career, I was a senior partner in a local chartered accounting firm that bore my name. As a private citizen I have served on a large number of community organizations and regional boards, often in positions of leadership.
I served as Mayor of Prince Rupert from 2000-2003. I was the first chairman of the Prince Rupert Airport Authority and was a member of the B.C. Aviation Council. I currently serve as Chairman of Northern Savings Credit Union, the single largest financial institution in our
region.
I am someone who believes that a small community like ours cannot afford to be divided. All of us have a stake in creating and maintaining a healthy community…One where everyone who wants to make the effort should have a chance to play a positive role in community life.
Our greatest gift is our diversity and the variety of personal experiences we bring to a common table. As a Mayor and citizen, inclusion and participation have been leading principles in my life.
I believe that most of our problems and challenges can be positively addressed with the application of sound thinking and common sense. My professional career taught me that a small amount of effort given to preparation and planning can save a great deal of energy in trying to clean up one or more avoidable
mistakes.
Fiscal responsibility is very important to me. My years as Mayor were spent trying to provide a balanced approach to living within our means while investing scarce financial resources in viable areas of economic development.
A city that is not financially sound cannot meet its mandate of building a positive social and multi-cultural environment, and we will not become the healthy community we all want to enjoy. I want to lead a city council that will seriously assume a mandate of sound financial
management.
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