Put your own questions to candidates before you vote

The dog days of August are behind us now and we all begin to contemplate September back to school organization. I have been wondering. What if they called a municipal or school trustee election and nobody ran? Does someone get appointed? By who?

Local elections have a very poor voter turnout for city council, regional district reps, and school trustees. Most people are not aware that voting time is coming up, very shortly, in October.

It is my understanding that a number of incumbents will not be running but that there will also be some of the usual familiar faces. Hopefully, there will be new candidates.

The Kelowna mayoralty race could prove interesting with likely, credible candidates being Tom Dyas, Colin Basran, and Ron Cannan (who’s running for councillor). All three are viewed as pro-development, business candidates who would probably preside over a council of more of the same incumbents. Unless you vote differently.

It is not good enough to vote for someone just because you recognize their name but have no idea of their voting record or where they stand on issues. All incumbents, especially, should have to defend Kelowna’s wild state of development and serious social issues.

New candidates must bring new ideas. Kelowna voters really have to decide if they have had enough of mega development while infrastructure supports lag. The Mission area is totally overtaxed with traffic and will need more roads very soon.

Ask yourself if height restrictions mean anything in a community plan if council consistently votes for variances.

Ask if police and fire protection is adequate if staffing levels are well behind similar cities. Ask about putting drug treatment centers in residential areas or near schools.

Drive by Lions Park in Rutland sometime. There is no police or bylaw enforcement for a reason... understaffed?

Even the current school trustees and the incumbents running for election must ask themselves why there is still no new Rutland Middle School. There are new ones in the Mission, Lake Country, West Kelowna and Glenmore. But not Rutland… just 20 portables beside a 70-year-old school. These trustees and local MLAs just did not get it done. Will new ones do any better?

Rutland always seems to get stiffed in politics.

Then there is regional district politics that is totally controlled by Kelowna. Central Okanagan West is so frustrated that they want to separate.

Central Okanagan East is tired of being pillaged by logging and mining companies in Kelowna’s main watershed.

Residents and directors often cannot get by the bureaucracy or are consistently outvoted by Kelowna or West Kelowna councillors. Something has to change.

Many Kelowna residents have asked for a ward system for better representation. Some have asked council directly. Nothing happens. Do we just fall back, again, to sleepy town, usual politics. Maybe regional directors should vote in Kelowna council meetings? Maybe try electing some new people?

Some changes will require provincial government legislation with a local push.

And where are those who speak out for city and area on environmental issues? It would be great to see some new candidates come forward with some new ideas.

Should slash burning be allowed to continue smogging up the valley?

We also need to seek a better way of finding out candidates points of view. All-candidate meetings just do not cut it as the audience sinks into boredom; neither do open-mouth radio programs achieve much. Most voters seem to like the Rutland Hall candidate booth, set up to wander and chat more personally. How about one per week in each major area?

We, as voters, must come to candidate meetings prepared with good question and be determined to ask them. Write your questions out and think them through. Keep in mind what you see our city like now and what changes need to be made for the future. Do not harangue the candidates.

And remember you can vote for only one or more candidates that you really like, and who have sensible positions. You do not need to vote a complete slate.