Penny A.P. Anderson, Kevin Boehmer, Evelyn Bradford, Jen Comer, Arnold DeBoon, Jim Elford, Daniel Geurts, Lon Hansen, Myrna Johnson, Joe Snopek, Karen Unruh, Ed Vondracek and incumbent Joanna Wilson are running for Creston town council in the Nov. 15 municipal election.
About 200 area residents filled seats at Prince Charles Theatre on Nov. 4 to hear from all 13 candidates for Creston town council in the Nov. 15 election.
After an introduction from Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce manager Jim Jacobsen, moderator Myrna Neilsen invited the candidates to introduce themselves:
Evelyn Bradford: “I am running as an independent as I believe we need a variety of views and input when making decisions for the future of Creston. That being said, I believe in being a team player. Once elected, I may speak against or in favour of different motions or initiatives but once a decision has been made I will support council and move forward.
“With my experience in local politics and my employment background I would be a logical choice on Creston town council.”
Jim Elford: “I’ve been a resident of Creston for 35 years and was one of the managing directors of Herchmer Insurance for 30 years until my retirement in 2010. I raised three children in this town and have been married 42 years. I put my name forward for council this year because following my retirement I feel I have some extra time to dedicate to my town, a place that I’m very passionate about. Twenty-one years as a volunteer firefighter, 10 years as an auxiliary RCMP officer. Also served on the board of four different multinational insurance companies. I feel my experience in management on working on boards allows me to be a good candidate.”
Ed Vondracek: “I have lived here for 26 years. When moving to Creston from Regina, Sask., I continued my contracting business here. Upon retiring, in co-operation with others, we opened up a gift store on Canyon Street for 13 years. I have nine years of council experience and am community minded, having been a volunteer or board member of many local organizations. On council I took an active role in community health needs and especially the shortage of doctors.”
Kevin Boehmer: “I am born and raised in this beautiful Creston Valley. Been back in Creston since 2010. I had moved away and did my bachelor’s degree in management at the University of Lethbridge with an accounting major. I then worked on and obtained my chartered accountant designation. I own my own company doing a chartered accountant-type practice. As well I have been a director of finance for the Lower Kootenay Band for the past year.
“I have four beautiful daughters, the oldest of which is nine, and a lot of the reason I am running is that I’m seeing a need for more business and industry in Creston. I want to make it so that my children and all of our youth can return to Creston and work with gainful employment.”
Joanna Wilson: “I have served on Creston town council for the past nine years. I have lived in Creston since 2004 and worked here as a music teacher and photographer since the 1990s. I wish to continue to support the initiatives of council which enhance livability in our town and include the enhancing of past councils’ work that make a positive influence, such as the ongoing revitalization of downtown and advocacy for the arts. I am civic minded and currently am chair of the Blossom Festival committee and Creston auditorium society. I have served as the council representative on several groups, such as the Creston arts council, the affordable housing society and Creston-Kootenay Foundation.
“With this experience I know the community, I know the issues and I have a vision.”
Lon Hansen: “I have been in Creston for the past four years with Shoppers Drug Mart and moved here from Smithers. I have a wife and three children and we want to make Creston our home. We love Creston and we love the valley. It’s close to our families, but as I’ve said to others, not too close!
“The reason that I have run for council is that I desire a brighter future for my children, that they can stay in Creston or come back to something that is of value to them, so they can be close to my wife and I. I am part of the Action Creston group and as that group we can actually make commitments to make things happen that are important to you.”
Daniel Geurts: “I served several years in the Canadian Armed Forces and then I did 25 years with the RCMP before I retired. After I retired, my wife and I decided to buy property here in Creston and we did so seven years ago and then we built our retirement home here.
“If elected to your council, my concerns that I would like addressed are growth and economic development here in the Town of Creston. Fiscal management is another thing I would like addressed and the other things are job opportunities for the younger generation and yet still keeping in mind that we have a senior population that has to have a hope.”
Arnold DeBoon: “My wife and I moved here with our family in 1990 and we raised our sons here. My wife was a community health nurse and I was a conservation officer. She retired about three years ago and I retired last year. In the community, I was active as a baseball coach when my children were growing up and I am also a volunteer. I am the president of the Creston Trinity Housing Society, which is a low cost housing project for seniors in the Catalpa building beside the United Church. I also put on fly-fishing schools here, charged people money and then donated the money to charity.
“In my 26 years with the Ministry of Environment, I have had a great education in business planning, budget management and many other things that would help serve this community. I now have the time to serve on town council and my goal is to make Creston a prosperous place for my children to come home to.”
Myrna Johnson: “I come with a varied background as I have been in the military as an air traffic controller and as an engineer. As a civilian I was a heritage interpreter and community developer and I have been involved with the community in many endeavours such as the Kraft celebration and was the Better at Home developer before that. I would like to be on town council and help our community move forward.”
Karen Unruh: “I have nine years as a town councillor. Therefore I can honestly tell you that I will not be able to make a difference on my own. But with the efforts of community members, council members and regional district directors, we can make a difference. There are some residents who view Creston as a small, unique community and want to keep it that way. There are others who see it as a small town with a great potential for growth. Let’s find a balance. Just as plants need nourishment for growth, Creston needs investment and development that will fit the community plan.
“I am an independent thinker and I make decisions based on the information made available. Being a council member, you must be prepared to debate issues, make decisions and move on. Where has Creston been and where does it want to go? How are we going to get there? Remember, the character of a community is defined by all residents, not only a few.
Jen Comer: “I graduated with a bachelor of arts from the University of Victoria with a major in geography and focused mainly on sustainable community development and local food systems. After my husband and I both graduated in Victoria, we decided that we needed to move back to small-town Creston where we really wanted to raise a family.
“Since being back here, in 2010 I took over managing the farmers’ market, which we have grown into a thriving enterprise contributing $1.7 million to the local economy. It has also been a great platform for me to jump off to be involved in other community activities, such as the integrated community plan. I have also worked for our local MLA as a constituency assistant and have experience working in the provincial government in Victoria. I do have a good understanding of the local and provincial issues and I look forward to representing you on town council.”
Penny A.P. Anderson: “I am an artist and I am also a business owner. I graduated Alberta College of Art in 1988. I volunteer extensively with community groups in and around the valley. I live in Yahk and I like to work with the valley — I do consider myself a valley resident. I owned property since 1991 and I moved to the valley in about 2007.
“I was RDCK (Regional District of Central Kootenay) Area B alternate director and I am also part of Action Creston. We are five like-minded individuals who have agreed on five items, and it’s a contract with Creston and we would like to carry forward with you.”
Joe Snopek: “I have been in Creston since 1982 running Snopek Auction. I have been on Glaser Terrace Handy Capable Society for four years, I have been president of Restorative Justice for 13 years. I sit on the fall fair board, the Kaminoho Friendship Society.
“I spent 12 years — six on council, six as mayor — that’s why I have no hair!”
Local Internet station CROC Radio recorded the proceedings and the full council candidate forum can be heard at www.crocradio.com.