Sandy Agatiello – Ashcroft mayor candidate
Question: How long have you lived in your community?
A: Resident for 21 years.
Question: What is your occupation?
A: Registered Dental Hygienist
Question: Have you done any volunteer work here? Which group(s)?
A: Currently: Ashcroft Hub Society Director, Treasurer SSPC, Public Lifeline Volunteer (ESS), Ashcroft Moving Forward Group (AMF)
Past: BCIN Regional Pony Club – Regional Chair, Hub, WRAPS, Cancer Society.
Question: Have you served before in municipal government or on a Board of School Trustees? If yes, where, when, and for how long?
A: No.
Question: Which issues are most important to you?
A: Housing, healthcare, communication, promoting and supporting existing businesses, promoting new ideas and Community Emergency Plan.
Question: How would you address them?
A: Housing – form a Housing Committee that would develop a plan to address the shortage of housing in Ashcroft.
Healthcare – support the Healthcare Committee that is working to develop a plan to address healthcare in Ashcroft and surrounding area.
Communication – install official information board(s), improve methods of communication. Improve response to issues raised at council meetings. Encourage residents to attend council meetings.
Promoting and supporting existing and new businesses – support Chamber of Commerce and/or Business Association. Actively promote arts/culture/history/music/events. Consult with business owners and ask how council can help support them. Develop an up-to-date package for prospective businesses/investors/developers. Revitalize website.
New ideas – look at the merit of new ideas before saying “No.” Analyze benefits: apply for grants to support new projects.
Community Emergency Plan – continue to work developing plan started by AMF group.
In 2015, the Economic Development Strategy was developed, which has 39 foundational initiatives identified. Only a few of them have been implemented.
I would like to see a plan to start working on some of these initiatives, search for more funding opportunities, and work collaboratively with the community, First Nations and surrounding towns.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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