"With the official nomination process almost underway for April’s byelection, Castlegar residents are thinking about what issues are going to sway their votes.

'I am concerned with downtown,' said Katrina Vermette, who would like to see those running for councillor address the issue of a downtown revitalization project.

'It’s a downtown and people should enjoy walking around downtown and doing some shopping they shouldn’t have to drive,' she added.

Evelyn Clarke would like to see the issue of an alternate road through Castlegar brought forth.

“We only have one route through town, or you have to go all the way around,” she said.

Josh Bellamy would like the councillors to bring the broadband project out of the cellar.

'I would like to know if the project ever got completed or if it’s dead in the water,' he said.

'I think development in Castlegar is a key issue, and in order for new development the town needs major restructuring in its infrastructure,' said Dean Miller.

Raymond Koehler Responds

Raymond Koehler Responds to Residents Issues:

Editor:

Thank you for publishing “Residents air Issues” in the Castlegar News of February 13^th, 2008.

As a Candidate for Castlegar City Council in the April 5^th by-election, I want to answer each of the Resident’s questions directly.

1) Regarding Katrina Vermette’s concern, the revitalization of the downtown, this is a priority of the current Council and one about which I feel strongly.

When I brought my Partner's business headquarters to Castlegar in 2004, we chose to invest, and continue to invest, in the ‘downtown’.

Coordination is required with the Commercial Property Owners, if we are to bring a lively mix of boutiques, professional services, cafés and other attractions to the City Centre.

Downtown is already blessed with several anchor attractions: The Castlegar Heritage Society at the Railway Museum, The Public Library & Kinsmen Park, The “New” Castle Theatre, The Element Bar & Grill, and access to the Millennium Parkway; Local Media including the Castlegar News and Mountain FM; High Profile Service Centres, including the New City Hall, RCMP, Post Office & Credit Union; Medical Clinics and dental Offices; Corporate Offices including the Columbia Basin Trust & Columbia Power; and numerous thriving retail outlets and professional offices.

I volunteer with a number of non-profit agencies that contribute to the livability of the Downtown Core. Freedom Quest is an excellent example of a Service Organization that has taken a strong and attractive position on Columbia Avenue ... downtown.

Faced with a singular lack of Provincial and Federal Service Agency Offices, we are fortunate to have the offices of both our Federal Member of Parliament, and Provincial Member of the Legislature located downtown.

Working together with the Commercial Property Owners, we can fill the empty storefronts and re-build a thriving and vibrant City Core.

2) Evelyn Clarke raises the issue of ‘an alternate road’ through Castlegar.

Again, the current Council and City Planners have this Project on the ‘drawing board’.

My position is that to begin to address the Public Safety concerns and the Traffic Congestion situation on Columbia Avenue, (which will only escalate in coming years,) the second north south route along the western slope needs to be given a higher priority.

3) Josh Bellamy “would like the councillors to bring the broadband project out of the cellar.“

Since my business revolves around the relationship between “Creativity, Communication & Technology”, I have always been in support of access to the best available technology.

(The 'good news' is apparently that the City's $300,000.00 + investment of Property Owners tax money now has one Corporate Customer.)

Where I differ with the current and previous Council, is that I believe that businesses like mine, should be paying for their own technical services, and not depending on property tax dollars from Seniors, and Working Families that are struggling to keep their homes.

I have also yet to see the costs of upgrading the current City Digital Network & Equipment to be compatible with the speed & capacity of the fibre-optic cable already installed at taxpayers expense, and the proposed wireless broadband equipment now required to give the fibre cable any practical advantage.

4) I agree with Dean Miller that “development in Castlegar is a key issue, and in order for new development the town needs major restructuring in its infrastructure.”

First and foremost, the City Council (like municipal governments across the province and the country) has recognized that a comprehensive, long term, ‘macro’ re-thinking of the water system is now required.

Sadly, Council has continued in a piece-meal approach, first offering water metres as a ‘panacea solution’, then saying some folks must have metres other not. Some will pay for installation, some have not. …and freezing the 2008 Utilities rates before we have any idea of the scale of the challenge we face.

The ’solution’ will require the participation of both the Provincial and Federal governments. So let’s sort out the costs and get on with fixing those areas of the system that need fixing.

Secondly, the City has a budget in the order of $15 Million Dollars, my position is that Council needs to look at each and every dollar spent and ask just what the ‘spin-off’ and ‘multiplier’ benefits to the City are.

This raises questions regarding the wisdom of “contracting out” City work to the lowest bidder, be they in Kelowna, …Calgary, … or soon … Mexico!

How does this ‘spiral to the bottom’ support local jobs, local families, local home purchases and local family spending in the Community.?

In a world of NAFTA, TILMA, and the Security & Prosperity Partnership, my position is that we need to fight to the greatest extent possible to keep local tax dollars recycling through the local economy., supporting local families and businesses.

With all due respect to the City's largest employers, if the recent ‘troubles’ at Pope & Talbot have taught us anything, it should be that we would have a stronger and more resilient local economy if, instead of 2 employers each creating approximately 800 jobs… we had 4 employers each creating 400 jobs .. or 8 employers with 200 jobs, etc.

City development policies need to be re-examined in this light, as do the benefits of past municipal corporate 'tax breaks'.

A third development issue, specifically. Is the wisdom of the City of Castlegar ‘contracting out’ of its vital Engineering Services. With no ‘in-house’ Civil Engineering function, we need to take a closer look at the total costs to Taxpayers of the contracting out of this vital expertise.

***

Castlegar is going to grow … we need to guide the growth with sustainable planning objectives. The City now has a huge opportunity to do the right thing. We need voices to insure that the Community maximizes it potential in all aspects.

"You Can Make a Difference"... on April 5th. Vote Raymond Koehler for City Councillor.

Campaign to Elect Raymond Koehler

(manuel said financial agent)

619 – 9^th Avenue,

Castlegar, BC V1N 1M5

www.raymondkoehler.ca

250.304.2157