MEET A LOCAL CANDIDATE: Craig Janzen | KIMBERLEY BY-ELECTION 2024
[POSTMARK: SEPT 2024]-----
Since 95EH ran ‘Meet a Local Candidate’ Q&As back in the 2018 General Local Election, and again in 2022 (before 95EH.CA was downgraded from a Squarespace website to a Tumblr), I figured I would dust off those ol’ Meet A Local Candidate questions, give them some new paint, and then send them off to any City Councillor candidates who’d be interested in participating this time around for the Kimberley, BC By-Election of September 2024 (ps - you can find all the details for this election over on the City of Kimberley’s website, including candidate profiles + important voter information like how the last day to vote will be September 21st, 2024, FYI).
But, for right now, let’s just focus on one of the seven candidates. Craig Janzen, to be exact, as that’s precisely who has stopped by for a metaphorical cup of coffee via the seven Qs and A’s below… so let’s go say “hey!” now, eh?
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Ok, first things first… who are you and what do you do when you’re not running for City Council?
I have many loves, including work. I’m not sure what defines me best, but I’ll give it a shot. Firstly, I have been married for almost 35 years, with 5 kids and currently 5 grandchildren (and counting), three of whom live in Townsite, Kimberley. I spend a lot of time hiking in the backcountry, mountain biking, and skiing. We have lived in Kimberley for 11 years, having moved here from Creston, where I was a businessperson and owned the local concrete plant, which included heavy equipment, gravel pits, and ready-mix concrete. While owning the concrete plant, we doubled our gross sales, increased our profit, introduced benefits for our employees, and eventually sold the business for three times the purchase price. I mention this because financial targets, budgets, and proper management are measurable and show positive results.
In 2013, I was hired in management at Canada Post, helping to oversee the post offices from Golden to Creston and from Kimberley to Elkford. My current work involves managing people, payroll, buildings, and human resources. I have served on several not-for-profit boards, including Addiction Recovery of the Kootenays, and am currently a director for the Kootenay Christian Academy.
I believe that you can tell a lot about a person from what they personally recommend & why — SO — please recommend a book or film or podcast or video or article or album or some other piece of media/art that you have connected to recently on that level where you’d want to tell someone else to go check it out too (& tell us why).
Hard to beat movies like Nacho Libre, Shawshank Redemption, and Notting Hill. All are stories about redemption.
For a book that has impacted our family and many others I would be going with Moral Revolution by Kris Vallotton. It takes us back to responsibilities over rights.
If someone was coming to visit the Kimberley area for only a few days… what would be on the top of your list of recommendations for things they should do and/or places they should visit?
Well, it really depends on the visitor. Our family loves the Kimberley Underground Mining Railway tour—so well done, and it’s great to see some real-life history in action! The Nordic Centre is a special place. I hope to see, and participate in, the development of additional services and activities in our city that turn day visits into overnight stays. This includes attracting minor hockey teams for tournaments, etc. Our Kimberley Visitor Centre sees an average of 100 visitors a day, so looping in the Chamber and Visitor Centre staff is a must for this conversation.
Editor’s Note: this is an AI rendition of Craig’s above Kimberley recommendations (as a hand drawn postcard)
Look, obviously we all like living around here, that's why we all keep doing it, BUT… what's something you've found frustrating or concerning about living around Kimberley these last few years — and how could a city councillor like you help the community better deal with that frustration/concern?
I am keen to work collaboratively with our city councillors, embracing our diversity as people, and keeping the welfare of the community in mind, while also ensuring our City services are efficient, effective and environmentally responsible. There are concerns I have with traffic, especially in areas where development is proceeding. Speeds through Marysville and the concerning entrance to Forest Crown. I hope to participate advocating for safer crosswalks and speed limits with the MOTI. Water and our aging infrastructure is concerning for me. This is something all of us should be advocating about at all levels of government.
Of course, there's lots to be positive about around here too… so what are some developments/happenings in the Kimberley area that you've found promising or optimistic these last few years — and how could a city councillor like you help the community continue to experience more of that goodness?
I hope to be a part of seeing increased seniors housing, diversity of our tax base, increased service standards for our community including better access to parks and recreation. Giving my full attention to business people and groups that present in council, like Healthy Kimberley, Kimberley Trails Society, KNC, etc.
It’s impossible to know for sure how a future city councillor might vote on future issues (or even what those future issues might be), BUT, it’s not impossible to role-play to see how someone would have voted on a previous issue — SO — let’s imagine that you were on city council back when they were voting on whether to re-zone industrial land in Marysville to commercial to allow for a McDonalds-Gas-Station-Car-Wash… how would you have voted on that "controversial" issue and please explain your reasoning why? (for extra reader context: council voted against that proposal by a count of 4-3 after a public hearing and much public debate)
I cannot “role-play” on this one. Keep in mind that I was not privy to all discussion and all the facts. The way I see it is that there are many issues at play here. Do we need to diversify our tax base? One development like this could bring in tax revenue like 20 residential homes with a much lower and required burden on our infrastructure.
Do we stop “fast food’ restaurants from coming to Kimberley if the land is zoned correctly and appropriate community engagement occurs? Who chooses what is appropriate for our community? Is Domino’s ok but Burger King is not? What about Tim Hortons?
Then we talk about rezoning land because an opportunity presents itself. What are the downstream impacts? I was talking to a prominent businesswoman in our community, and she was against this rezoning but one of the reasons why was because the proposed plan did not utilize the property well. Were alternative solutions presented other than just another expensive studies or the applicant given the runaround? Growth is coming, commercial business is coming. We don’t go from a population in the 5,000 range to a population in the 7,000 range without growth in all areas.
As I see it, our City council needs come together to hear and represent ALL residents of Kimberley, outspoken and quiet alike. Keeping our City Vision top of mind: “Kimberley is a forward-thinking community that manages its resources so that residents can enjoy their chosen lifestyle while ensuring that future generations can do the same”.
Finally… by the end of September 21st, 2024, Kimberley folks will have hit the polls and cast their By-Election votes for the one (1) City Councilor that will be serving a two (2) year term from November 2024 to October 2026, and you are one of the candidates running — SO — please make your final pitch as to why residents should be making sure they make time to vote for this recently opened City Council spot AND why they should consider you for their vote?
I hope to get your vote and earn it over the next two years. I believe in the diversity of our tax base, finishing what we have started and remembering our services are services for all of us to enjoy. I commend the non-governmental groups operating in Kimberley and am proud of so many of them. I share our community priorities. Top of mind for me is infrastructure renewal, financial accountability, real budgets, environmental protection, and economic resilience. Good business principals. I look beyond this two (2) year term and my hope is to continue giving back to our City, enjoy our abundance and continue being progressive, proactive and principled.
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Alright, that’s all the Qs and A’s for this Q&A (thanks for stopping by Craig!) — if you’d like more info on who else is on the ballot + where and when to vote, please CLICK HERE to visit the 2024 By-Election page on the City of Kimberley’s website AND/OR check out the handy picture below for all your important voting info:
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And don’t forget to check out the All-Candidates Forum that the Kimberley Chamber ran on the 9th of September…
…and stay tuned for more ‘Meet a Local Candidate’ Q&As (hopefully), perhaps even some provincial candidate Q&As (skeptically), over on the 95EH socials (Facebook + Instagram) and right here on the MOUN.TOWN blahg or over on 95EH.CA.
And then don’t forget to vote, eh?!
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JEREMY / @HI54LOFI
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