Regional District of the Wells Gray: Tim Pennell, the incumbent director for Wells Gray Country (Area A), has announced that he plans to seek a third term during next November's elections.
Pennell has represented Vavenby, Blackpool, East Blackpool, Birch Island and Upper Clearwater on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board since 2008.
“Over the past six years I have focused on taking care of and rebuilding what we have,” he said. “Thanks to efforts of volunteers and federal Gas Tax funding, we have been able to take the three rural community halls from varying conditions of disrepair to centres in our community that we can be proud of.”
Pennell said he has also directed significant amounts of Gas Tax funding to the Vavenby water system, Vavenby firehall and Blackpool firehall.
“Utilizing the funding in this manner I have been able to keep budgets balanced without increasing taxes for these services,” he said. “Vavenby water system is the exception to this; regulatory changes have required improvements, which have in turn created small phased-in increases.”
The incumbent director's future plans include large additions to both the Vavenby and Blackpool firehalls. These will require no borrowing or tax increases, he said.
Construction in Blackpool should start in September, while Vavenby will be early spring at the latest, hopefully sooner.
Significant funding is in the bank and work on a community park adjacent to the Blackpool community hall is to start this month.
Also, as decided by property owners in the Vavenby area, improvements to Vavenby Community Park are projected to start next year. A prioritized list will be established this fall.
Both firehalls will also require new pumper trucks in the next few years.
Vavenby community water system will receive $150,000 in Gas Tax funding towards a turbidity filtering system, which should result in water quality advisories being removed for all but six to eight weeks per year. Funding for UV filtration is in place and it should be installed in the next six to eight months.
“I have worked hard over the last six years to engage local community groups, provide funding when appropriate and occasionally some useful advice and my own volunteer time,” Pennell added.
The Wells Gray Country director said he worked hard to change a forests ministry policy that that had seen blanket campfire bans extended across almost the whole southern Interior.
“It took some convincing but common sense and a real life experience lead to a change in how bans were applied in the North Thompson and North Shuswap areas,” he said.
Pennell noted that he has worked his way up through the local government political ladder and next spring hopes to be put into a leadership position with Southern Interior Local Government Association and sit as a member of Union of BC Municipalities executive.
“This will provide an even greater voice to the North Thompson by providing that much needed recognition with provincial ministers and their senior staff.” he said.
“The last six years have been very rewarding to me personally as I have greatly enjoyed working with area residents and my political peers,” Pennell said. “Another term will see the aforementioned capital projects completed and provide political stability to the area. I intend to continue with the attitude of taking care of what we have and living within our means!”
Pennell has lived in this area since July of 2007.
Before that, he was a rural director in the Cariboo for three years and served as a planning commission member there for 10 years. He was a volunteer firefighter for 13 years, reaching the rank of captain.