There is officially at least a two-way race for mayor in the Town of Gibsons.
Incumbent Mayor Barry Janyk made it official Tuesday morning, filing his nomination papers with the Town. Incumbent Coun. Wayne Rowe announced his candidacy for mayor during a campaign launch on Sept. 24 at the Blackfish Pub. As of press time Thursday morning, no other candidate had come forward announcing their intention to run for mayor.
In a news release, Janyk said he is asking Gibsons residents to re-elect him to "finish the important work that we have begun."
"These are also challenging times for residents dealing with economic uncertainty - whether they are young families or seniors living on fixed incomes," Janyk said. "That's why Gibsons needs a strong, proven leader who has spent years developing critical connections to senior governments and other agencies that will help our town. It has taken a decade to nurture these relationships, partnerships and friendships and we need them now more than at any time."
Janyk said the key issues in this next term are fundamental to all our futures, including a regional employment plan he has steered for the past year, an affordable housing strategy that will encourage young people to buy and settle here, and development that is in scale with the town and in keeping with residents' values.
Janyk said he hopes the upcoming debate will be honest and principled.
"I will be reaching out to average folks on limited and fixed incomes and not appealing to those who simply want to profit from our hard work of the last decade," he said.
In his campaign launch on Sept. 24, Rowe reminded everyone that every vote makes a difference, and that "we have a real choice in this election."
He asked for the community's support.
"Issues ebb and flow. Election campaigns are the time for voters to weigh the candidate's personal qualities, abilities and integrity and decide how that candidate will bring his/her judgment to bear on various issues important to us all," Rowe said.
He described the qualities he thinks are the most important, including truth, honesty, loyalty, integrity, decisiveness and a strong work ethic
"I believe I bring these qualities to the office of mayor," Rowe said. "My approach is to formulate policy and to resolve issues by listening respectfully, finding solutions rather than taking positions, collaborating rather than confronting, using reason rather than emotion and deciding rather than deferring. We should focus on core services, streamline our municipal process and make maximum use of our talented staff. We should build up our financial reserves through effective fiscal strategy."
Rowe added that council often hears from the same groups that have a narrow focus, and that council has to find a way to hear from the wider community.
The deadline to file nomination papers is 4 p.m. today (Friday, Oct. 14).
