There are plenty of choices for registered voters to make when it comes to choosing six councillors on Penticton Council heading into Saturday’s municipal election.

NowMedia reached out to all 24 candidates running to claim one of the six spots on Penticton Council. Many of the candidates did not respond, but the majority did.

We asked all candidates the same questions.

Photo Credit: NowMediaFormer Penticton mayor and councillor Jake Kimberley believes his vast amount of experience will come in very handy if he's elected in Saturday's municipal election.

These are the responses from former Penticton mayor and councillor Jake Kimberley.

What do you feel is the most pressing issue facing the City of Penticton should you be elected to Council after the Oct. 20 general election?

“From my experience, having being elected five times to Council, getting to understand the state of the city’s finances is the first item a new Council faces after being sworn in to office in January.

“After being appraised by staff on the state of the city’s finances, Council can then prioritize where the most pressing issue is facing the city.  My guess is infrastructure, specifically the underground service lines and the water and sewer lines that are in need of replacement.

“You may recall there have been several water line breaks over the last few years, costing money to repair the roads and the other damage surrounding the break. The second priority item for council is how to resolve the parking conflicts between the casino and the South Okanagan Events Centre. This conflict is causing major challenges for the SOEC promotions."

Photo Credit: Facebook Jake Kimberley

What do you feel are your greatest assets as someone running for elected office?

“In one word experience. Having been elected two times as a councillor serving a total of four years and then successful at being elected as mayor serving three terms, I have gained an awful lot of understanding of how the city is administered.

“In my terms as mayor, I faced some of the toughest challenges any mayor has ever had to face, including the Peach Festival riot, the Garnet Valley fire where 3,000 residents were evacuated, Eastern hillside flooding and the Apex Mountain road block. No other mayor has had to deal with similar challenges. That gave me a lot of experience.”

Can you please list some of the priorities you believe the new Council should make a priority in the first six months following the election.

Photo Credit: Facebook Jake Kimberley

“I guess the implementation of the Official Community Plan that the present council has gone through will be on the very first agenda in the New Year, unless they deal with it prior to leaving office.

“The other ongoing challenges to be faced are the homeless issue, affordable housing and connecting with the RCMP about the drugs on the street. There are other communities who have the same street problems that we can communicate with.

“I would recommend that the mayors throughout the valley get together and discuss how to collectively approach these problems. We all have the same problems and need to deal with them.  Shared knowledge is always a good approach."

Photo Credit: File Photo

What is, in your opinion, the best thing about calling Penticton home?

“Lifestyle, location, climate, a city beautifully situated between rolling hills and being one of the two cities in the world situated between two lakes,  plus the abundance of fruit and vineyards. Where is there a better place to live?”

What are some of the reasons Penticton will be a better place to live in over the next four years?

“Penticton has always been and always will be a forward thinking city.  Although planning mistakes have been made in the past, lessons have been learned from those mistakes.

“Planning is key to making Penticton a better place to live, with buildings better suited to the neighbourhood, which have  character and good architectural design. With the possible increase in population over the next four years, the challenge to the new council will be to deal with increased volumes of traffic, parking spaces, etc.

“Maintaining our infrastructure is also necessary to improving the city’s image. Protecting our surrounding hillsides from development will ensure that Penticton will remain a desirable place to live forever.”