By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Wendy Pratt

Oct 9, 2018 | 3:20 PM

NanaimoNewsNOW reached out to every municipal candidate to present an easy-to-read and informative guide for our readers to help with the upcoming municipal election. All candidates were asked the same four questions, which are presented here without being edited. 

Biography: I am a third generation native daughter of Nanaimo, growing up in Harewood, graduating from NDSS in 1965. I raised my family here and spent the last 15 years of my professional career as Executive Director of Nanaimo Community Hospice Society, retiring in December 2014 after leading a successful capital campaign to raise $2.5Million to move Hospice to its present location. I didn’t do it alone, but I did provide strong leadership to reach our goal of a mortgage free Hospice that will serve our community well into the future. Hospice helps build a healthy and strong community and was a fertile learning ground in the areas of leadership, communication, budgeting/fiscal responsibility, human resource management, teamwork, partnerships, and collaboration. I learned to think globally and act locally after sitting for 10 years on both provincial and national boards. In 2014 I was elected to the 2014-2018 Nanaimo city council.

Question 1: Describe, in detail, what you view as the most important duties associated with the role of being a councillor/mayor?

Attend all council meetings; sit on the board of the RDN; attend public hearings. Provide strong governance, leadership, and evidence-based decision making for the good of the whole community. Enter into robust, respectful debate on each item brought forward. Abide by a code of conduct and uphold the “will of council”. Understand legislation, bylaws, and the Community Charter. Update/change bylaws as required and lobby through UBCM on important issues and to change legislation. Recruit and hire the CAO who hires and manages city staff. Recruit/select volunteers from the public to sit on council mandated committees and task groups; chair and/or attend committee meetings as required. Sit on RDN select committees and task forces. Liaise effectively and productively with city partners (VIU, PON, SFN, Airport). Support and value the work of city staff. Maintain good working relationships with IAFF, CUPE and the RCMP. Select/approve arms length organizations, if required, to assist in the work of council in areas such as economic development and downtown revitalization. Keep an open mind and liaise with the CAO, senior staff, external experts, committee members and the public prior to voting on agenda items. Represent the city at community events. Councillors are ambassadors for the city.

Question 2: Describe your vision for Nanaimo beyond the next four years

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I like the idea of planning cities for ages 8 to 80 where the needs of everyone who lives, works and plays in the community are met. Nanaimo is one of the most beautiful places on earth. We have everything we need right here to succeed. Four years from now Nanaimo will have financial and economic stability and sustainability, a robust business community, a thriving tourism industry, a revitalized downtown, access to efficient and affordable transportation, and healthy and safe neighbourhoods. Citizens will have access to first class education, good paying jobs, affordable housing, supportive social networks/housing, and a diverse recreation/arts/culture sector. When people ask me where I am from,

their response will be, “Oh yes! We have heard so many good things about Nanaimo. You are so lucky to live there!” When 100 cruise ships visit every year, passengers will tell their friends at home about beautiful Nanaimo and the wonderful day they spent here. The gateways to our city will be beautiful and our downtown will be a gathering place that is vibrant and welcoming. Nanaimo will be in the top 10 best places to live and retire to; we will be on everyone’s bucket list to visit.

Question 3: If you were making a list of your top three strategic priorities for the incoming Council to focus on over the next four years, what would they be and why?

Rebuild Infrastructure/Good Governance/Partnerships – In just 18 months this city has lost much of our corporate history and expertise with the exit of 40+ top/mid long-time managers. Our financial stability is in question and our city’s good reputation has suffered. Good governance and strong partnerships must be restored. These steps are essential in setting council up for success and it starts with hiring a permanent CAO.

Affordable Housing for All – The homeless issue must be addressed through supportive housing with short, medium, and long term goals. Everyone in this community should have access to safe, affordable housing. We must work with our partners and the province to create made-in-Nanaimo solutions.

Safe and Efficient Transportation – Our aiport is doing a great job but city transit is inadequate. It takes 2 hours to commute by bus from South to North Nanaimo. Let’s build a transportation hub at 1 Port Drive and develop new/expanded routes; better access for seniors and students; upgraded bus shelters. We need upgraded/continuous bike paths, and safer cycling lanes that meet the needs of both cyclers and vehicle traffic and keeps children safe when walking to school. Our main corridors need beautification (Terminal/Nicol corridor). 

Question 4: What is your strategy for dealing with the intense pressure and scrutiny placed upon elected officials, especially from those who may not agree with your decisions or viewpoints?

Transparency and honesty are integral to gaining public trust. Evidence-based decision making is much easier to defend when under scrutiny. Council must be seen as working respectfully and collaboratively on behalf of the community. A robust community engagement process must be well planned and effectively undertaken to ensure that the public is well educated on the issues at hand, especially when these issues are contentious. Bowing to the loudest voice does not make for good decision making. Councillors are elected to represent “the whole” and they must make the final, and often difficult, decisions. You can never please everyone all the time. Councillors may be criticized for the way they voted personally, but regardless, each councillor must uphold the “will of council” to engender trust and support from the public. It is up to each councillor to decide how they will personally communicate with the public through a variety of media. The learning curve for new councilors is steep – we all have our own ways of coping with the high demands of this job and must ensure that we remain positive and practice good self-care as we work diligently on behalf of our community.

For respective financial information, click here.