I am a long-time resident of the Comox Valley and a past director of Area C.
I am, once again, seeking a seat on the Regional Board because I believe strongly in accountability and transparency in government.
I am willing to ask the tough questions and work hard to get answers to relay to you, the taxpayers.
Some of my main areas of concern are:
• Regional District budgets
• the high cost of planning when compared to other jurisdictions
• the inequality in water costs for Regional District residents,
• the antiquated handling of both liquid and solid waste within the Regional District, and
• the importance of following the approved regional growth strategy plan in order to maintain our rural lands and sensitive habitat.
I am a retired member of the RCMP, having joined the force when I turned 20 years old. My early career took me throughout B.C. and into Alta., Que., and Ont.
I quickly learned that my preference was for small, more isolated, locations. As a detachment commander, I found the people much easier to connect and work with for the betterment of their communities.
My first introduction to the Comox Valley was in 1978, when I was transferred here as a dog handler with the RCMP.
My wife and I quickly fell in love with the area and knew that we wanted to make it our permanent home. That dream was fulfilled in 1995 when we returned to the Valley to raise our two young sons.
Since 2000, we have enjoyed living near Seal Bay Park in Area B.
The area is perfect for me to enjoy simple pleasures such as bird watching, beach walks, kayaking, raising mason bees, and gardening. Please vote on Nov. 15 and help make a positive change in our community.
Rod can be reached via email at rodnichol@shaw.ca throughout the campaign.