Year one. Round two.
Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran has had a turbulent year since taking office for his second term in October 2018.
After a year laden with community outcry and even a death threat, Basran said he is trying his best to look on the bright side.
乌鸦传媒淪ome of the major initiatives we乌鸦传媒檝e tackled so far in this first year have been difficult to put into place but I乌鸦传媒檓 really excited about the fact that they will benefit the community long after I乌鸦传媒檓 gone from office,乌鸦传媒� he said.
乌鸦传媒淭his past year has been a real challenge, but over the long term, the things we乌鸦传媒檝e done in this first year are going to serve our community well.
乌鸦传媒滻乌鸦传媒檓 really proud of my council for the fact that it would be easy to sacrifice the long term vision of the community for short term personal gain, but they乌鸦传媒檙e choosing the longer-term vision.乌鸦传媒�
When asked for specifics, the mayor pointed to the recently implemented infrastructure levy as a high point of council thus far.
The levy was part of the city乌鸦传媒檚 2019 budget as a means of tackling infrastructure needs the city estimates will rise in the coming decades. The levy was part of the overall 4.1 per cent increase on property taxes, accounting for 2.27 per cent of the total.
乌鸦传媒淲e know that in the next 20 years our community is going to need infrastructure to keep up with growth, as well as aging infrastructure that needs to be renewed,乌鸦传媒� said Basran, estimating the price-tag of such projects will add up to around $500 million.
乌鸦传媒淭his infrastructure levy will help pay for some of those projects that before we would not have been able to undertake.
乌鸦传媒淚f we don乌鸦传媒檛 deal with some of the infrastructure deficit we乌鸦传媒檙e just pushing off projects that are only going to get more expensive down the road and we乌鸦传媒檙e just going to increase the burden financially on future generations of our city.乌鸦传媒�
On the flip side, Basran said the lowest point of the last 12 months has been on supportive housing projects.
Supportive housing has proven to be a contentious topic within Kelowna, with residents 乌鸦传媒� specifically of the Rutland area where many of the projects have been proposed 乌鸦传媒� being very vocal about their disdain.
乌鸦传媒淎ll we can do is do the best we can, stay the course, try to get people housed and continue to advocate for more supports,乌鸦传媒� said Basran.
乌鸦传媒淲e will continue to do that, but certainly that乌鸦传媒檚 been the biggest challenge this year so far and I don乌鸦传媒檛 see it going away anytime soon.乌鸦传媒�
READ MORE: Petition against 乌鸦传媒榳et乌鸦传媒� housing project in Rutland surpasses 15,000 signatures
Basran attributed the unpopularity of some decisions made by himself and city council to people being 乌鸦传媒渞esistant to change.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淪ome of the things that we乌鸦传媒檙e implementing are changing the way that things have been done in our city in the past,乌鸦传媒� he said.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a different way of doing things. Until people see the results, they乌鸦传媒檒l be skeptical or unhappy with it.
乌鸦传媒淏ut we know we can乌鸦传媒檛 continue to do nothing about climate change.We can no longer continue to ignore our social problems.乌鸦传媒�
In April, divisive community opinion about the mayor led to a death threat on Facebook, which led to the arrest of a 52-year-old Kelowna man.
At the time, the mayor, flanked by his wife, mother, two young children and two city councillors, made a plea for civility.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 unacceptable to me, it乌鸦传媒檚 unacceptable to my family and I am sure it乌鸦传媒檚 unacceptable to the majority of society,乌鸦传媒� said Basran during a press conference on May 15.
乌鸦传媒淒emocracy is sometimes messy, and controversial issues sometimes generate strong feelings. But that乌鸦传媒檚 what makes our community strong 乌鸦传媒� exercising an open mind, humility and mutual respect and especially with those with whom we disagree.
乌鸦传媒淭he bigger issue here is about civility and a collective commitment to civil discourse. More than ever, it乌鸦传媒檚 vital to challenge those who use personal attacks, online bullying, or vulgar language to stifle opposing points of view.乌鸦传媒�
READ MORE: Kelowna mayor calls for civility in light of online threat against him
Basran said that experience and the past year overall has made him realize his family is what is most important to him.
乌鸦传媒淔amily for me in this past year has been absolutely essential,乌鸦传媒� he said.
乌鸦传媒淚n this last year, I乌鸦传媒檝e become more cognizant of the fact that I couldn乌鸦传媒檛 be doing this job without my family and while this job is important, my family is far more important.
乌鸦传媒淢y time in this chair will come and go but I only have one opportunity with my family.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 been a huge eye-opener and a lot of personal growth for me to recognize. While this job is great, nothing is more important than my family.乌鸦传媒�
While Basran said it is 乌鸦传媒渨ay too early to tell乌鸦传媒� whether his name will be on the ballot for the 2022 election, his family will play an integral role in that decision.
乌鸦传媒淪tay tuned,乌鸦传媒� he smiled.
READ MORE: Thirteen-storey condo tower, community threatre proposed for old Kelowna RCMP site
michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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