Two main issues came up during the question and answer portion of the all-candidates meeting on October 2 in Evergreen Theatre: the wastewater treatment plant and the former Inn at Westview building.
As it does with every election at every level, Powell River Chamber of Commerce hosted the meeting. President Cory Carr was moderator.
Interest was underestimated as only the small portion of the theatre was open. Start time was delayed as dividing walls were opened and additional chairs set up for the more than 400 people attending.
A total of 16 candidates are seeking a seat at City of Powell River council table: Dave Formosa, Glenn Holstine and Ron Woznow for mayor as well as William Ashworth, George Doubt, Al Drummond, Cindy Elliott, Kelli Gallagher, Maggie Hathaway, CaroleAnn Leishman, Terry Noreault, Jim Palm, Art Richards, Rob Southcott, Roger Whittaker and Sharon Wright.
Candidates were given two minutes for an introductory statement and an additional two minutes at the end to wrap up.
Under the meeting format, there was only enough time for three questions. The first was on the financial experience of all those running, to which each candidate responded with answers from running a household of five children, to managing multi-million budgets and leaving it to professionals.
The second question was from Helen Evans, who asked why council was able to have a house on Joyce Avenue demolished more quickly than the Inn at Westview.
Members of the current council responded that the owner was given extensive time to do it and never did. Also, there was no financial risk to the taxpayers as the land was worth more than the cost to demolish the condemned house.
With regard to the inn, Palm read a portion of a letter from Seaboard Hotels representative Jack Barr, which was discussed at a committee of the whole meeting earlier in the day and stated in part: “I am currently in the process of arranging satisfactory financing” and “I have requested a Demolitions Permit Application from city hall.” That elicited applause from the audience.
“Pretty coincidental,” responded the next speaker, Drummond, to laughter from others in the audience. “I’m a little skeptical only because it has taken so long.”
Drummond said he wrote a letter to council several years ago stating action needed to be taken to demolish the building. At the time he said the cost was estimated at $300,000, an amount that is now up to a million dollars.
Third questioner Arlette Raaen asked, after 20 years of debate and approval of the new wastewater treatment plant what candidates’ positions were on it and would they support it in the future.
Woznow responded it should be “looked at in a different way,” and there is a “need for new, more diligent analysis on the economics to make a better decision.”
Doubt, who said he has attended many council meetings and read all the studies on the chosen site, said “it’s time to stop putting pollution into the Salish Sea and go ahead.”
Most of the candidates agreed with the outcome, although a couple said it could have been handled differently.
Two other questions were asked and candidates were told they could respond during their final remarks. One asked if candidates supported the revitalization bylaw to keep Catalyst Paper Corporation’s taxes affordable and if they would support it in the future. Once again the majority of candidates said they support efforts to help the mill.
The other question regarded derelict buildings in the city. Leishman said a draft bylaw with tighter conditions had been submitted but it had not yet been reviewed by staff and presented to council for consideration.
Councillor candidate information and photos can be found on pages four and five of this issue. Mayoralty candidates’ statements can be found on the Peak website under the menu item: Powell River Votes 2018.
