John Vassilaki said he’s earned his reputation as a successful businessman in Penticton for decades through hard work and integrity, which are the key personality traits he would bring to the job as Penticton’s mayor.

Vassilaki, 72, who served four full terms over 12 years as a member of Penticton council, finished a distant second to incumbent Andrew Jakubeit in the 2014 mayoral race in Penticton.

“I am a man of values,” said Vassilaki. “My personal mission is one of truth, integrity, learning and family.”

Vassilaki said he has the personal experience and leadership skills that he’s accumulated through his many years in business and more than a decade on council to become an effective mayor.

Photo Credit: NowMediaJohn Vassilaki, the former Penticton councillor, is shown at a mayoral debate against incumbent Andrew Jakubeit and Jason Cox earlier this week. Vassilaki promises hard work, honesty and integrity if elected mayor on Oct. 20.

His priorities will be focused on community safety, community prosperity and community assets, he said.

He’s heard the many concerns from local residents about the increase in crime and would make public safety one of his top priorities if he’s successful in his mayoral bid, said Vassilaki.

“Crime has risen to an unacceptable level and I believe we need to fight back aggressively,” he said. “My vision for our community is to be the absolute leader in the province with community policing programs and to raise our investment in such programs in order to shift from reactive to proactive mode.”

Photo Credit: NowMediaFormer Penticton councillor John Vassilaki ran against Mayor Andrew Jakubeit in the 2014 municipal election. He's challenging Jakubeit once again. Vassilaki, Jakubeit and Jason Cox participated in a debate earlier this week.

Vassilaki said reducing the number of forest fires in and around Penticton would also be a priority as he would invest in reducing the amount of fuel loads that cause wildfires and continue to invest in a vibrant and modern Penticton Fire Department.

Penticton’s average household income remains one of the lowest in the province and this is not acceptable, he said.

“We keep talking about good-paying jobs, but we have yet to implement successful strategies that will actually satisfy this need,” he said.

Penticton is doing a good job of retaining and attracting retirees, which is good because they actively support a large number of local businesses and service organizations, he said.

Attracting workers in the health care industry is important because of the aging population base, but also because these are good-paying jobs, he said.

Photo Credit: NowMediaJohn Vassilaki announced his candidacy to run for mayor in Penticton in early September on the front steps at City Hall.

However, Penticton is competing against other cities and towns across B.C. and Canada to attract these workers, he said.

“We need to be smart and our strategies leveraged … like the new hospital and market the region’s benefits to living here,” he said. “We also need to understand our growth potential in manufacturing. We need to review the needs of our industrial area to support this growth.”

Vassilaki said he’s in favour of negotiating with the Penticton Indian Band to work on business partnership agreements beneficial to both communities.

The “core and base” of Penticton’s economy has always been based on agriculture and that must continue, he said.

“We know agriculture and we have an opportunity to position ourselves as an agri-tech leader,” he said. “We can open doors to education, food processing, supply chain and byproducts.”

The burgeoning growth in the region’s wine industry and its growing connection to arts and culture should also be taken advantage of, he said.

Penticton is blessed with wonderful community amenities and parks and they are crucial to the quality of life of local residents and attracting new people to live here, he said.

Photo Credit: NowMedia

“The truth is we need to consistently and openly review our assets with our constituents … with assets like roads, parks, facilities and land use,” he said. “What I can tell you is I don’t believe we can sell City property.”

The move of Cascades Casino from the Lakeside Resort should never have been relocated on City-owned land, he said.

“But Council again fell to the pressures of a private investor,” he said.

Photo Credit: NowMedia

His vast business experience “will help prevent these poor decisions with our land,” he said.

Community assets must be treated with great care to ensure they can be used and enjoyed by current residents and future generations, he said.

“As your mayor, I will give you the change we need, the voice you deserve and the leader who listens,” said Vassilaki.