Who Wants The Mayor’s Job?
Just who is sitting in the wings in the local political scene, who is a Mayor "Wanna Be"?
If Mayor Green has been reading the mood of the voters correctly, she will have discovered that not all is well on the fifth floor of City Hall. Unless something extraordinary happens , the voters are ikely to turn her aside in the upcoming civic election.
There are a couple of people sitting on council whose names seem to pop up every time the election is mentioned.
Lyn Hall being the one that seems to receive the most attention. He came from the School Board and while he performed well there, that hasn't happened at city council and during the past year the citizens have wanted someone at the table to step up and make the citizens' concerns known. Depending on who would run against him , his record on council could come back to haunt him. Having said that if Shari Green were his opponent and no one else ran, he would get the nod.
Cameron Stolz likes the spotlight but given his inability to look after taxes while calling on the general public to do just that, he simply hasn't got a chance. Had they posted the results of his run at the federal riding nomination, that in itself should have been sufficient to discourage any thoughts.
That leaves Brian Skakun, if he gets the right result in his appeal on his conviction for handing out info from city hall, he could if he chooses, be the dark horse in any race. The citizens of Prince George are tired of politicians who appear to self serve their own interests at the expense of the general taxpayer and that mood has not been changing. With nine months to go it is hard to see that attitude changing.
So what would happen if a high profile individual straight off the street entered the race? I believe they would stand a very good chance of being our next Mayor depending on how they approach the issues, the biggest of course being the lack of engagement with the public .
Nine months can be a lifetime in civic politics but slowly the minds are being set.
I'm Meisner and that's one man's opinion.
Comments
I nominate Gus
This coming election would be a great opportunity for someone off the street to get the ship back on course. I’m tired of holding my nose like I smelled a skunk while dropping the ballot.
No pressure Gus but you might have to bite the bullet and take care of this as SS suggests.
Lyn Hall is a lame duck; he only got voted in on name recognition. Skakun has stated he doesn’t want the job (but that could always change). Only Dotlz vote for Stolz.
So that leaves gus. Gus for mayor!
Cool ! Then every flake of snow will be hauled away within 36 hours after hitting the ground. Will be able to bicycle 12 months a year.
I think Bryan Skakun should be mayor.
At this point in our civic politics history Mr. Fetterly would swoon a lot of new votes ! If Gus is smart he will stay out of the limelight and stick to blogging!
Why would Brian take a pay cut to become Mayor or PG?
Yes Ben, something completely drastic would have to happen with Shari to change peoples’ minds. She would have to completely change the top management at City Hall, cut all unnecessary and redundant jobs and taxes and find people who would fill key positions who could actually get the jobs done properly, all while costing us far less in the management and maintenance of this town. Couldn’t happen.
I voted for Green in the last election and I am now extremely sorry that I did. She has no real interest in the people of PG or their well being. After telling us how she was going to lower taxes and increase the efficiency of the City operation, she immediately hired herself an assistant after she was elected. In November of 2014, she will be quickly removed from office and PG will be better for it!
Let`s get Rob Ford. He`s probably gonna be looking for work soon.
Hey Ben, what have you got against Garth Frizzel? I would have thought he would be a viable candidate.
Gus for Mayor! She’s the one!
I did vote for her as she told us she would lower taxes and look after the peoples interests and SHE 100% did the opposite my TAXES went way up she looks after her friends and looks down on peopleâ¦. She is totally unapproachable and personally I canât wait for her to go
GOODBY GREEN
DONâT LET THE DOOR HIT YOU ON THE WAY OUT
Unless there’s a viable alternative (Fetterly and Skakun are not), then Green will get re-elected on name recognition. I wonder if dithering Dan will take another run?
Personally, I wouldn’t want the Mayor’s job. It’s basically one no-win situation after another. People don’t want to hear the truth, so what are you left with? Lies and promises you can’t keep.
I think Mr. Skakun has the right attitude but I don’t think he’s totally competent. he rarely seems to understand the workings of his own oragnization. My guess is he’ll run. I wouldn’t be totally opposed to having Rogers back. He definitely overstretched the city’s financial capacities during his term, but I thought he was fair, well-liked and a good supporter of community initiatives and volunteers. Lynn Hall strikes me a political opportunist and Ben is right in saying he hasn’t done much of merit during his term. Koehler is an option, but I generally don’t support retired politicians who are getting out of touch with the working class. A greenhorn doesn’t stand a chance of getting elected as mayor, but I sure hope someone entirely new runs just to spice up the debate
green for another term.
Green will beat anyone who runs against her IF she decides to run again. That is not clear at this point.
Skakun is a non starter as he has a couple of years to go to collect his pension from Canfor. Look for him to run in the next one as a retirement gig. – That is when I will sell my house and move.
Hall has been a complete disappointment to the base and it is not clear at this point whether he is NDP or Liberal. He has no political compass. We were all wrong about him.
Stoltz would likely do well but would have to work very hard. He normally does.
Murrey will retire.
Koehler should retire.
Wilbur is a good man and getting better. I would vote for him for Mayor.
Everitt takes it to heart too much. I doubt he could stand the critics. He likes the back room too much.
Frizzell – Huston we have a problem……
friZZel…. I have one every morning 5 coils..not a chance in hell,like a snow ball in hell that is!! Colin help!!
As for greenie ,burp,fart,scratch…nope..
Voter turnout in Prince George is pathetic. In the last election we had approx. 15000 people who voted. With 52000 eligible voters that’s about 30%.
Green got 6969 votes in the last election 46%. Rodgers got 5332 votes 35%.
As a Councillor Lynn Hall got the most votes of everyone who ran for either Mayor or Council. 9529 votes or 63% of those who voted.
When Don Zurowski ran for Mayor against Rodgers in 2008 he got 6505 votes or 38% of those who voted.
Don Bassermann ran for Council in 2008 and garnered 7695 votes, or 45%.
So its anybodys game in the next election, however if you go by the stats, then Hall should have the edge.
Will Zurowski run?? Who knows. Rumour has it that he will run for Council.
We have just seen a photo op on the 20th anniversary of the Civic Centre, with Don Bassermann front and centre. Is this because of his involvement in the Civic Centre 20 years ago, or is it a lead in, to get back into the game. Bassermann is a strong supporter of the Performing Arts Centre, and believes that this centre should be the next capital project for Prince George.
The game is wide open, and if we get 3 good candidates and Green runs again, then anyone can win. Split the vote, and Green could come down the middle, however if I was a betting man, and Hall ran, I would say he would be our next Mayor.
It’s been years……………………..since we have seen a real mayor in this town. Don’t expect to see another real one again for some time to come.
Palopu……
You make some good observations. But, Hall has been such a disappointment I don’t know how anyone could vote for him. Besides the fact that It feels like he has switched parties to the NDP. He has been a government bureaucrat his entire career. He is another Dan Rogers…good greif.
Green takes the brunt of the critics wrath but we always have to remember that she is only one vote and if everyone is sooooo opposed to her agenda. Why does everything she wants to do keep passing.
The reality is, no one like to take the kind of medicine she has doled out but the reality is she is the only one….the only one..who has any balls on that council. She has done what has needed to be done.
The others just hid behind her and held their noses. But they all voted with her because they knew it had to be done.
The only time their collective brain trust tried to grow a pair and pretend they could collectively manage a problem…..it was a disaster! I am referring of course to downtown parking.
We would all be fortunate if Green would give us another term…..but if she didn’t i wouldn’t blame her. I wouldn’t put up with us.
yourkiddingme, you are obviously a family member of Ms. Green or a close friend. That’s why no one around you has told you what they really think about Sheri Green. She is not well liked and it isn’t because she is doing a good job at City Hall.
yourkiddingme, you’re delusional :)
Palopu: “Voter turnout in Prince George is pathetic. In the last election we had approx. 15000 people who voted. With 52000 eligible voters that’s about 30%.”
Agreed. But we do have just about 100% turnout in those who whine and complain without offering any viable solution. The population of PG should be better than this.
Say what you want about Shari Green (and many do, even being so petty as to criticise her personal appearance), but as I said, if there’s no viable alternative, she’ll be back in (if she chooses to run again).
I didn’t, wouldn’t and never could vote, support or endorse green, BUT skakun is not the answer. He basically says what he thinks people want to hear without really having to back up his words. When you only have 1 vote and are the lone dissenter on issues, you KNOW you are never going to have to back up your words. Maybe this is a toe in the water for Ben to see which way the wind is blow, aye Ben?
Surely, in a City of 70,000+ voters, there must be at least 3 good Mayoral and 20 good Councilor candidates! I am looking for someone who can set out a useful platform without a 10% promise and without yattering about potholes and snowplowing.
IF the platform makes sense and is defensable, the potholes and snowplowing will be taken care of.
LOOK AROUND fellow citizens, talk to your friends and neighbors, we need someone to steer the ship. We are almost desperate!
“Maybe this is a toe in the water for Ben to see which way the wind is blow, aye Ben?”
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OMG, Ben would go bonkers about about 3 months on the job.
Huh: “I am looking for someone who can set out a useful platform without a 10% promise “
The thing about that is that it would be attainable with good leadership and the ability to do what’s right even if it’s not popular.
There is fat to be cut from City Hall and the army of people it employs. CUPE would have something to say about that of course, and here we are today.
Vote for Dave Wilbur again. He has got common sense. Why just during his last election campaign he said we need to bring more people to Prince George in order to lower taxes. Who could argue with that kind of logic? Just look at the population of Vancouver. Almost tax free! Keep up the good work, Dave.
Running and winning the mayor’s chair and to be successful in any endeavour ya need about 5 or 6 like minded folks on city council. What are the chances of that? Slim and none. Hey! I just answered my own question!
I’ll run.
I’ll be the most honest person who ever run…
taxes go up or services go down….
holidays…I have to have city paid holidays….all expenses paid of course.
I will ignore everyone, especially the press….
Everything the city does will be hush hush, or people will know what we are doing….
darn, that kind of sounds like what we have now….
Okay I withdraw.
Gus can have it….
Mayor Meisner, why the heck not?
We need some level heads at City Hall. Not someone who is pushing someone else’s agenda.
We need someone who will be open and up front about how the money moves through Administration, and where it ends up.
We need to get the Gas Tax Funding out in the open, and determine where this money, which could be as much as $30 Million in the next 10 years will be spent,. We need this money to be directed to roads, storm water, and sewers as a priority. We do not need it to be channeled to support a PAC.
Why are we getting a Storm Water Utility tax at the same time that we are receiving approx. $2.5 Million per year from the Gas Tax Fund, that could be used for maintenance of the present Storm Water System. Are we being hoodwinked??? Will they tax us for the Storm Water, and then use the Gas Tax Fund for other purposes.
These Councilors, and those who wish to run for Mayor had better have some answers to these and other questions if they wish to get re-elected.
We need to ask the hard questions, and insist on getting the answers.
Mayor Gus sounds better than Mayor Brian
Mayor Green has denied interviews on this site form the beginning so it’s not surprising that all sentiment here is anti-Green. I doubt that a representative poll of the citizenry would be reflective of the articles or comments we see here.
It would be interesting to know where the results of such a survey would end up but not really worth the cost to satisfy my curiosity.
Mayor Green has denied interviews on this site form the beginning so it’s not surprising that all sentiment here is anti-Green. I doubt that a representative poll of the citizenry would be reflective of the articles or comments we see here.
It would be interesting to know where the results of such a survey would end up but not really worth the cost to satisfy my curiosity.
Mayor Green has denied interviews on this site form the beginning so it’s not surprising that all sentiment here is anti-Green. I doubt that a representative poll of the citizenry would be reflective of the articles or comments we see here.
It would be interesting to know where the results of such a survey would end up but not really worth the cost to satisfy my curiosity.
the mayor hasnt just ostrasized voters, shes also turned on some of her supporters and the same gravy train wont be there to buy the chair
Who the hell would want the job? Rodgers seemed to work hard and was up front on most things but he was dumped when Green came along with her bag full of money from her corporate backers and a bag full of empty promises that demonstrated her willingness to say anything to get elected.
It is amazing that a lot of people actually bought into her campaign BS when she promised to cut 10% across the board without reducing services. Ha, what a joke.
We need a true conservative in charge like Zuroski and not the likes of the pretend Tories Green or Stolz. The way they like spend our hard earned tax dollars, would make most Senators blush.
If Zuroski doesn’t run then my vote goes to Lyn Hall, at least he is honest and seems to listen.
Zuroski? A Kinsley clone? Never get my vote.
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