Last month the 100 Mile Free Press sent the following questions to the candidates running for the Village of Clinton Council. Roland Stanke’s answers are as follows. Some have been edited for length.
1. Who are you and what do you do for a living in the community?
My name is Roland Stanke and I am running for the position of mayor for the village of Clinton. I first moved to Clinton in 1982 to become the manager of the government liquor store from which I retired in 2009. Currently, I do a fair amount of commercial photography work and work part-time at the Cariboo Lodge in Clinton as the bar manager.
2. What do you see as the biggest issue facing the community, and how do you intend to tackle it?
The biggest issue facing this community is the ever-increasing costs of the water and sewer accounts. It is getting increasingly difficult for businesses and residents to meet these costs. Adding more financial stress to an already high tax bill puts local businesses in peril. With the new council, I would create a complete review of these standalone services and present the findings, complete with new recommendations to the public for input.
3. What type of development would you like to see in your community, and what steps would you take to attract it?
Clinton’s uniqueness has its own charm and stands out from other copycat communities. The official community plan is a living document and serves to shape our future. The current zoning will need a review for light and heavy industrial development to further shape the village. The community has a lack of affordable rentals that would attract a ready and able workforce. New businesses are always looking at what a community has to offer its employees in terms of recreation and infrastructure. I would build a forward-thinking team of council and special interest groups to further shape the community.
4. If elected, what is the most relevant skill or experience you can contribute to the council?
My background for the position is quite extensive. I was a three-term mayor from 2002 to 2011, sat on the TNRD board of directors for nine years, was on the film commission board for nine years and a two-year small community representative on the UBCM board.
patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net
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