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Manno Theos seeking sixth term on Courtenay council

I would like to thank the people of Courtenay for their support over my 16 years on Courtenay city council.
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Manno Theos is seeking a sixth term on Courtenay council. Photo supplied

I would like to thank the people of Courtenay for their support over my 16 years on Courtenay city council.

I believe in being fiscally responsible, open-minded and willing to listen to the public in order to understand the values that are important to you and be able to represent you accordingly.

The key issue I’m repeatedly hearing from Courtenay citizens regarding this election is about rising tax levels that are unsustainable for many residents and small business owners. I believe the hiring of up to 17 new staff members was excessive and without clarity of how this significant yearly cost will be covered moving forward. I do not support using reserves and past surpluses as a sustainable or fiscally responsible method to pay for new staff members. As a result I voted opposed to the 2017 and 2018 Courtenay city budgets.

I believe developing greater efficiencies is the most critical step in addressing how we provide services as an alternative to what I felt was a mass hiring. Four years ago I committed to seeing an end to the Maple Pool lawsuit. I was a member of the negotiations with the Maple Pool representatives that successfully concluded the lawsuit in favour of working more collaborative relationship to ensure the residents were able to remain at the Maple Pool site.

I lobbied for free parking at the new hospital and North Island College.

I supported Downtown initiatives such as sidewalk patios, market days, festivals and a revitalization bylaw.

I supported two housing developments on city-owned property for people with housing needs.

I worked with K’ ómoks First Nation on relationship building and servicing agreements.

Over the next four years I have heard many residents requesting greater investment in road improvements and maintenance, establishing new advanced recycling methods as an alternative to relying on landfills and turning our waste into an asset. I will continue to support Downtown vibrancy initiatives. I believe it is critical to create the conditions that attract meaningful jobs in high tech, value-added manufacturing, home and business construction and professional fields.

The advanced polls will be held Oct. 10 and 17 at Courtenay City Hall from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Election Day is on Oct. 20, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Florence Filberg Centre and Queneesh Elementary school locations. Thank you for your support on Oct. 20.