by Laura Walz [email protected] Residents in Electoral Area B of Powell River Regional District will not have the opportunity to attend an all-candidates meeting because the incumbent doesn’t wish to participate.
Stan Gisborne, who has been the Area B director for 24 years, is not interested in attending a meeting.
Kim Barton-Bridges, a candidate for Area B director, attempted to organize one after she learned Area B candidates were not included in the all-candidates meeting hosted by Powell River Chamber of Commerce for City of Powell River candidates. Kim Miller, chamber manager, offered to assist with a meeting, if a venue could be found. “I offered the chamber’s unbiased, fair format and documents needed to organize a meeting,” Miller said. But when he was approached, Gisborne declined to participate.
Gisborne, who has been the Area B director since 1987, told the Peak he was not particularly interested in having an all-candidates meeting. “The last time we had one, there was such a little turn out, there were about a dozen people there for about 3,500 residents,” he said. “I invite everyone to call me or email me if they have any concerns about local government or about myself running as candidate.”
He finds it’s better to talk with his constituents one-on-one, Gisborne added. “It’s really difficult to explain where you’re coming from in an all-candidates meeting like that,” he said. “They can question you about one issue and you have to give them a lot of background to get what’s really happened.”
For example, Gisborne pointed to some controversial issues that have occurred in Area B, including a gravel pit at the end of Stevenson Road, a batch concrete plant on a property designated residential on Stevenson Road and a proposed alcohol and drug treatment facility for women in a home on Traffe Road. He said it is “really difficult” to explain those issues at an all-candidates meeting.
Two of the issues, the gravel pit and the treatment facility, are not in the regional district’s jurisdiction, Gisborne added. The gravel pit was approved by the provincial government and the treatment facility is licensed by Vancouver Coastal Health. Regional district staff have informed rural directors that the province’s Community Care and Assisted Living Act is a provincial law that regulates the licensing of community care facilities and trumps local government land use bylaws, including official community plans and zoning bylaws.
Barton-Bridges said she believes that voters have a right to know a little more about whom they are voting for. “This ensures they have the information needed to make informed voting decisions,” she said. “A meeting is a chance for business owners and local residents to meet and ask questions of the candidates and an opportunity for all candidates to explain their policies/platforms and answer questions from the audience.”
Having candidates in the same room, as opposed to inviting constituents to phone the candidate, makes it easier for people to compare candidates, she added. “Some people are less inclined to speak up or ask questions on their own, but may be more interested in listening to how the candidates respond to others’ questions. In addition, some of those questions might spur another related question, so the advantage of questions in a group setting cannot be overlooked. It is ideal to do both, participate in an all-candidates meeting and talk to people individually.”
Area B is located between the city’s eastern boundary to the west side of Whalen Road. The area also includes all of Paradise Valley, properties bordering the city along Claridge Road, Nootka Street, Covey Street and Tanner Street, as well as water and land lots on the eastern half of Powell Lake to Dago Point.
