On the Issues...

• Ken Waddell believes we need to...
  • Set up a long-term infrastructure plan
  • Address the housing shortage
  • Maintain sustainable growth
  • Improve how council works
  • Improve the town's image
    
• Ken served as mayor of Neepawa from 1998-2002. He has served with the Neepawa Chamber of Commerce, the Yellowhead Centre board, the Neepawa and Area Lily Festival and the Neepawa Youth for Christ board.
  
• Ken and Christine have lived in the Neepawa area since 1971. Together, they own the Neepawa Banner and Rivers Banner newspapers and have both been involved in federal and provincial politics.
  
• Ken is a former member of the national board of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Christine is involved with the Lily Festival, the Beautiful Plains Horticultural Society and the Tangled Threads Quilt Club.
  
• Ken and Christine have two sons and four grandchildren.

Your Questions...

NeepawaVotes.com will be posting your questions and the candidates responses throughout the election. Do your part to make an informed choice and submit your question above! Here are Ken's answers so far...

Question: What is your plan on fixing the infrastructure problem that has been ongoing in Neepawa. There continues to be development to the west (which is good for the town) ie: Personal Care Home/Ambulance Garage/Aspenlea/10 unit housing block/residential housing/McGlaughlin GM,Westward Ford,Bayhill,Piston Ring,Subway,Tim Hortons to name a few yet the old infratruture has not been updated to handle the increased use. There has been alot of issues with residence on this issue but never been addressed by previous or current council, if elected what would your decision be to resolve this?

Answer: A number of years ago, the community of Winkler adopted a simple plan to encourage enough job creation in their area that every graduate could come home if they wished to do so. To do that in Neepawa we need more small industry and service oriented companies. To attract those kinds of employment opportunities we will need a long term infrastructure and affordable housing plan. Some work has been done, but we can't really say we have a plan because we don't. We will have to look at every possible source of funding, innovation and technology to upgrade our infrastructure. Getting that plan in place will be a very early priority for me if I should be elected mayor.

Question: What are you plans for development of the CN Property?

Answer: If, and it is still a very big if, the Town of Neepawa can obtain the CN property, people tell me it should be a mix of highway commercial (west side), a long section of parks and paths along the east side and some residential in between. This property ties in very nicely with the museum, the day care and the Trans-Canada Trail.

Question: What do you think the future holds for Lake Irwin - development? Sustainable fishery? What direction would you lead council toward?

Answer: Lake Irwin is located in the RM of Langford and the Town of Neepawa has no authority to develop that area. The Town of Neepawa jointly owns the old, abandoned campground with the RM of Langford but the way the relationship between the Town and the RM has gone in the past few years, it will take a lot of work to get anything going on that piece of land. Neepawa council needs to improve its relationship especially with Langford and with all the RM councils.

Question: Would you promote a new hospital at Neepawa or Franklin?

Answer: If the option is available to have a new large hospital at Neepawa, we should lobby for it. If the only option is Franklin then  we work on that option. We must understand that due to provincial budget constraints it may be a long time before any hospital is built.

Question: What is your position on the recent vote by Council to discontinue the discount structure for early payment of property taxes in the Town of Neepawa?

Answer: An early payment discount makes sense as long as the cost of the discount does not exceed the Town's cost of borrowing. I will look at the details for next year's budget.

Question: How do you feel about the possibility of a non-resident being elected Mayor?

Answer: The Manitoba municipal act allows a non-resident property owner to be elected as councillor or mayor. I believe it is best for a councillor or mayor to live in the town they are elected in.

Question: If elected would you release the legal bill incumbered by the town from denying the Access to Information requests as reported in the Press?

Answer: This is a council decision,  not a mayor's decision, but I would encourage council to release that information

Question: If elected to council what will you do to ensure that the town stop wasting money on bad decisions? For example a past council allowed a two inch water line to be installed instead of the larger one. But there weren't any apparent repercussions except that taxpayers will pay to fix the problem at some point.

Answer: I will encourage council to establish a long term infrastructure plan which will reduce or eliminate these kinds of costly errors.

Question: How do all candidates feel about town subsidy to the Neepawa Golf and Country Club when their financials showed a profit?

Answer: I haven't seen the Neepawa Golf course financials so it would not be proper to comment.

Question: Question as to what the candidates feel should be happening in regards to
the Eastview lodge location in Neepawa.

Answer: Eastview Lodge was paid for by the local community through a locally raised down payment, a mortgage paid by rents from local residents and by fund raising. It may still be a solid building and I will at least call a public meeting to get community feedback. It's the job of the mayor to fight for what's best for the community. I believe the community wants the building renovated and if so, I am prepared to fight for that option.

Question: What do you feel you can bring to the council table to reduce the length of time council spends having meetings and accomplishing little. As a public tax payer I still see a in camera meeting every 2 hours before the regular 3-4 hour meeting. If elected will you tolerate this or be prepared to make changes? Or will it be like the last election that promised change but to date still remains the same agenda just in a different location.

Answer: Council meetings need to be efficiently conducted. The better the meeting, the better the results. In-camera meetings should be rare. Many people have told me that I run a good meeting and I hope to have that opportunity after Feb. 28.

Question: On the topic of safety at the Westpark trailer court...  Do any candidates have plans to address the safety issues in the trailer park such as the blocked second entrance/exit, etc.  We had a caller express concern about a school bus loading 21 students in the area and then being forced to back out, followed by a left hand turn onto highway 16 instead of driving through and making a turn onto highway 5.  Same caller:  concern about trailer fire in Selkirk - with some of the access to the court blocked what if fire trucks can't get in quickly and someone dies?

A second topic relating to trailer courts - do candidates have plans to address the fees that seem to keep increasing?  Are there any concerns that soon low income earners won't be able to afford even a spot in a trailer park?

Answer: The north-west access to Westpark Place is not open but should be considered for opening as part of a more effective street loop. It's one of three or four streets and roads that need to be examined to be opened up for more effective and safe traffic flow and fire safety. How expensive that would be is hard to say until we have a report from town staff.

Town of Neepawa mobile home park fees have been in place for a couple of years and need to be reviewed. The town portion of the fees are in place of direct taxation and whenever taxes increase, it's a threat, especially to low income earners.

Question: Another take on the Eastview Lodge issue - is any candidate willing to
publically committ to do anything it takes, including storming into Winnipeg
and making a scene to get the building renovated, occupied or otherwise used
to save it from being torn down?

Answer: Should I be elected mayor, I will quickly review the reports on the condition of Eastview Lodge and call a public meeting to determine the community's wishes. I can't predict either the condition of EVL (or the public's reaction to that condition) but I will lead an effort towards quickly getting what the community wants accomplished.