Incumbent Sue Kenny says ensuring responsible city planning her reason for running for Dawson Creek city council

“There are so many decisions to be made in the future, and I want to be a part of that,” she said. “I want them to be responsible decisions, and I feel I have knowledge and valuable input towards those decisions.”

She said it is exciting to be a part of a community with such an exciting future, and she wants to see the city continue to grow and move forward.

“There were many decisions we (council) made over the last three years in preparation for the growth of the city, and we have to keep up with the times,” said Kenny. “I don’t want to see us go backwards. There is a lot of new development going on and an increased tax base, and there are opportunities to make Dawson Creek an even more liveable place that people will want to move to.”

She said there are a lot of important decisions to be going forward, and while she doesn’t think any one should take precedent over another, one of the issues she believes is important is having a long-term plan for the airport. She said she is eager to listen to the recommendations pending in the Airport Sustainability Plan and then decide how to move forward.

“I will definitely be pushing to move forward. There has to be a way to make the airport have more scheduled flights, and to make it a place people can fly out of instead of having to go to Fort St. John or Grande Prairie.”

She added continuing to address water security for the city will be another priority if re-elected.

In terms of new projects, though, Kenny said she agrees with other candidates who have suggested it is time for city council to focus on core infrastructure needs and existing assets rather than embarking on any new, large projects.

“As far as brining anything else on, if it doesn’t have anything do with core infrastructure, then I would not support it. I think we have to take care of what we have now.”

She said she is prepared to defend council’s controversial decisions on changing the water utility rate structure, and financially supporting the Dawson Creek Rage hockey team.

“Those decisions didn’t come easy, they came through a lot of examination of what the next steps would be,” she said.

She added the support of the hockey team was a business decision to generate revenue at the EnCana Events Centre, and though it make take time to realize those benefits, she believes it will work. She said the changes to the water rate structure were made in the interest of the financial sustainability of that infrastructure.

Kenny said if re-elected she will continue to rely on expert advice and sound judgement to make the best decisions for the city, not to make political points.

“When you get on council, you cannot be an expert on everything, and you have to be open and take the advice of the people who are experts, and I will continue to do that. I’m going to look at the cold, hard facts and make my decisions based on them.”

Kenny and her husband have lived in Dawson Creek for 10 years, and before that in Tumbler Ridge for 10 years, where she worked in economic development for the district.

She has been involved with Community Futures Peace Laird – currently as manager, but previously as a board director – for the past 16 years.

She was in the past a Rotarian, a board director for Catholic Social Services and a director for the Northern Rockies Alaska Highway Tourism Association. She is presently serving her third term on the board of the Economic Development Association of British Columbia, and also serves on the board of the Peace Region Palaeontology Research Centre.

Kenny and her husband have two children and three grandchildren.

Check back with Mile 0 City all this week for more profiles of local candidates.