The All Candidates Forum for potential Grand Forks City Councillors hit the GFSS auditorium yesterday. Candidates were given three minutes to speak, then asked pre-planned questions before the floor was opened to the public. Among the twelve nominees on stage were four current City Councillors.
Neil Krog says one of his concerns is crime. “Change, it is a long a tedious process, the council put forward at UBCM, dealing with crime, three motions, asking for more crown lawyers, more access to courts, and the way charges are laid”
Julia Butler says the next council has a lot on their plate. “This next council’s going to have a big challenge with the flood recovery, there’s a lot of things that need to be done and personally I think that council needs to get involved in that flood recovery. A lot of it right now is being delegated to the Regional District and I’d like to see council having more of an overseeing role.”
Christine Thompson says she has the experience. “Having worked for twenty-three years in the finance department of Grand Forks, and having served two terms as a city councillor, I bring both experience and knowledge of local government to the table.”
Chris Hammett says one of her concerns is economic growth. “One of my goals is to help promote economic growth by working with a team that is committed to business recruitment, encouraging a wide variety of shops, services, and new keen industries. Without growth it’s impossible to maintain infrastructure and social and environmental programs.
The Mayoral and Schoolboard Trustee All Candidates Forum goes 6PM tomorrow night, October 4th, at Grand Forks Secondary School.