My Family
It’s amazing how much of a difference having the right person in your life can make. I was exceptionally fortunate to have met Terresa five years ago. This February we ran off and eloped, much to the chagrin of our children and families. We really are the “Brady Bunch” having seven children between us!
Our family also includes Tank, our SPCA rescue dog and Great White’s official mascot!
Small Business Owner
I’ve owned Great White for 28 years now. We’ve gone through the cycle of our local economy including tough times like the crash in 2009. During it, I chose to ensure my staff and suppliers were always paid, at the cost of having very little left for my family and my bills. Putting my staff first has paid off as they are critical to my business’s success. My store manager Tony (28 years now) and my ordering manager Terry (13 years now) have helped me grow my business from 6 to 16 staff – in just the last two years!
I have put my name forward for council because I want to help build a better community. The City of Prince George has an incredible amount to offer. Unfortunately, we have significant infrastructure challenges ahead of us that need sustainable solutions. I believe that there needs to be a respectful diversity of opinion around the council table to ensure that the best decisions for our city are made. Part of that diversity, in my opinion, is in having the small business perspective at the table. As a small business owner for 28 years, and someone who employs 16 people, I believe I can bring that perspective to council.
There are many important issues facing the City of Prince George. The one I have focused on is our basic infrastructure: our roads, sidewalks, and buildings. We need roads to drive on that aren’t a hazard to our cars. Sidewalks provide safety to our children on their way to school, to friends or to the park. Sidewalks are also used by runners, joggers, seniors, and are absolutely required by those with mobility aid devices. Finally, as a “Winter City” we need good recreational facilities for the health and wellness of our residents.
- Road Maintenance
- Infrastructure
- Snow Removal
- Transit
- Recreation (Pools, arenas etc.)
- Safety
- Parks
- Social Housing
- Crime
- Downtown Revitalization
- City Image
- Economic Development
- Population Increase
I do not. In private industry when you move into management you are paid a flat salary regardless the hours worked. Some employers provide time off in lieu for overtime. It’s why some employees choose not to move into management as they make more with their overtime than managers who are salaried.
The role of a city Councillor is to provide direction to staff at a strategic level. It is to ensure that good policies are in place for staff to follow. It is to listen to the citizens of our community and ensure we understand the issue(s) before we make our decisions. Ultimately, when looking at our infrastructure, it’s about long term thinking as decisions around funding it have ramifications decades into the future.
The federal government has now decided that cannabis is legal. As such, I think it should be treated similar to how we treat retail liquor licences, including the same fees.
Unless something is booked at Masich Place that keeps it open longer, I see absolutely no reason not to have it open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day.
I believe an open and transparent government is one that talks about its challenges openly. That decisions are made in full view of the public.
I believe people should vote for me because of how hard I’ll work to find solutions to our infrastructure problems. That I’ll champion restoring the proper funding for our roads so that every neighbourhood sees improvement.
If I could wave a magic wand and accomplish one thing, it would be have found a sustainable solution to our infrastructure (roads, sidewalks, facilities) challenges.
