Geoff Orr wants North Saanich council to communicate better and be more transparent with the community and its neighbours B次元官网网址� and so heB次元官网网址檚 decided to run for mayor in the October civic election.

Orr made the announcement official on Thursday, May 3 at an event at Kildara Farms in North Saanich.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 still energy, I have some value to contribute,B次元官网网址� Orr said in an interview.

He said now that he has his wings under him B次元官网网址� he spent the last term on council B次元官网网址� he not only wishes to continue the public service, but step into the next role in municipal politics.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a big challenge. ItB次元官网网址檚 a role you cannot take lightly.B次元官网网址�

Orr added the challenge to the seat held by current Mayor Alice Finall will not be easy. Finall has been mayor in North Saanich since 2008 and was elected to the job three terms in a row (including one acclamation in 2011). She was first elected to council in 1993 and served in that capacity until 1999. She has not yet announced whether she will seek a fourth term as mayor. Orr said heB次元官网网址檚 spoken with Finall about his intent to run, and also shared the information with the current mayors of Sidney and Central Saanich.

Part of OrrB次元官网网址檚 reason to run, he continued, was some uncertainty over how the political landscape might unfold during this fallB次元官网网址檚 civic

election. Only one other person has declared for the mayorB次元官网网址檚 seat: local businessman Stephen Weller.

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Orr said heB次元官网网址檚 ready for the job after navigating many issues over the four-year term B次元官网网址� many of which will continue into the next councilB次元官网网址檚 mandate. but one of the areas he said he wants to focus on, and take a different approach with, is how North Saanich interacts with its community and its neighbours. Orr said the job they do as a council is a public service and they have a responsibility to residents, industry and business owners to improve dialogue and be as transparent in their decision-making as possible. That includes with how North Saanich works with the Pauquachin and Tseycum First Nations and fostering better relationships with all of ther neighbours.

B次元官网网址淭hat builds trust,B次元官网网址� he said.

Hot-button issues like housing, agricultural land at the Sandown race track, a proposed library near the Panorama Recreation Centre and others, will continue past the October 20 election date.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 expect that my role will be to deviate significantly from the path council is already on, but there would be a focus of our attention on some different areas.B次元官网网址�

Orr is a retired owner of a software firm and has a degree in mechanical engineering from UBC. He works, or has worked, with a variety of local organizations, in addition to his council duties, such as Peninsula Streams, Property Responsibility on the Waterfront (PROW), the North Saanich Residents Association, Peninsula Minor Hockey and the Saanich Peninsula Water and Wastewater Commission.

editor@peninsulanewsreview.com
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editor@peninsulanewsreview.com