Council Candidate Jeff Jones - in his own words
By Contributor
In 2017 my partner and I moved to Trail because we saw this as a place of opportunity where we could thrive in retirement. We had lived in the area since 2010, enjoying this marvellous part of the world.
Two years ago I began to consider running for Council. Serving on the Trail & District Library Board since 2018 I saw the impact a number of challenges at the time were having on our population. Issues in the downtown core required the commitment and time of the library staff – and I soon learned with the entire business community, city staff, police, and the elected Council. I also heard from neighbours the challenges they had been having with aging infrastructure, a criminal element that was impacting them directly as well as overall concerns about equity. I thought that, perhaps, I might have some experience, skills and wisdom that might be able to help.
I bring over 35 years of combined experiences serving on Boards and Councils, and serving as a teacher, school and district administrator and ultimately as Superintendent of Schools for 7 years. I retired in 2017. Previously I served 24 years in Calgary where I taught Elementary up to the University level. In addition to school-based leadership roles, I worked in senior district-level administrative roles including Executive Assistant to the Chief Superintendent and Director of Leadership Development. In retirement I have worked in the retail industry and part-time in the scaffolding industry in Trail.
As a Voter, I know what kind of council I would like to have:
- I am looking for a Council that will respectfully hear me and others, engage us in seeking solutions, and finding ways toward those solutions.
- I am looking for a Council that will work together and not against, while recognizing, welcoming and valuing differences in opinion and perspective.
- I am looking for a diverse Council – representing a wide range of experience and background. I am looking for a Council that will work with me together so we can all thrive.
As a Candidate I think I can contribute to ensure the kind of Council I seek is formed. I have made an intentional decision to run a paperless campaign in my effort to lead the way, one step at a time, in reducing our environment footprint. My campaign platform is based in four broad categories:
LISTEN CAREFULLY – AND ACT ON WHAT WE HEAR
My combined experiences in governance, leadership and organizational development will be beneficial for a Council that is focussed on hearing and discovering the concerns, hopes and dreams of our Citizens; working collaboratively to seek and advocate for solutions for a range of our most simple to our most complex challenges. We need a Council that is diverse, and will work together.
ADVOCATE FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE
When I think about our most vulnerable, I include Children, Senior Citizens, those experiencing poverty, those experiencing mental health and physical disability challenges, and those experiencing addiction. The role of Council is to ensure that our citizens have access to the resources we need to live healthy lives in a community where we feel safe.
At the forefront in Trail right now is the location of our shelter for the homeless, and the resources that are needed to support those who require a warm bed and food – as well as the integrated services that will support them as the recover, and establish independent lives. This is not a small task, nor should it be the responsibility of our Municipality alone. We need to ensure all of our support services are working together, and we need to strongly advocate at the provincial level for additional supports.
We need to make sure our City is a safe and enjoyable place for all who live here and visit.
REVITALIZE OUR CITY CENTRE
A Revitalized City Centre will attract commerce and additional resources for our city. Building a thriving, dynamic culture that attracts visitors and supports our population is a priority for me. My vision for a revitalized downtown includes retail and entertainment at street level, and residential on upper floors. I envision a mixture of affordable housing and also higher end in the downtown core. I believe some existing buildings need to be repurposed or demolished for this purpose, freeing up space. Tax incentives, public private partnerships, involvement of BC Housing are all ways we can make this
happen.
City Council needs to take the lead in ensuring that economic growth and employment are priorities.
REDUCE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT AND ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE
City Council needs to work with committed individuals and agencies to take the lead in terms of ensuring that we are able to adapt to and combat climate change. This is a significant issue for our time – and one of the most important in terms of ensuring that the next generations will have a healthy and sustainable community in which to thrive. Management of water and sanitation, the pursuit of solutions for sustainable energy and the conservation of our resources are top priorities. We need to lead the way to ensure that all of us are taking manageable steps to support our environmental initiatives. As a Council we can commit to seeking innovative solutions to build and maintain sustainable a resilient infrastructure.
I don’t for a minute believe that I alone have the solutions for our challenges. But I do know that electing a diverse Council that listens and truly engages our community and external supports in the processes of framing our needs, and seeking solutions is possible.
This election is our opportunity to catch a ride on the wind of change.
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