By ROY WOOD
In the second of a four-part series, ODN interviews Charles Pollard and Lutz Stelzner, candidates in the December by-election to fill a spot on Oliver council.
- Yesterday: Aimee Grice and Patrick Hampson
- Tomorrow: Susan Kosola and Donald Lawlor
- Wednesday: Dave Mattes and Peter McKenna
The answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Charles Pollard is 68 years old and has lived in Oliver since 2010. He works as a “senior associate” at the local 7-Eleven store.
What are the two most important issues facing council and where do you stand on them?
One is affordable housing. Where I work I run across these people and they seem to be having trouble finding a place that’s cheap enough to live in.
Downtown development. We need to draw more people in, by making the town more welcoming to businesses. Right now we have six or seven stores down Main Street that are empty. I mean to say, if we bring in more businesses the more money will come into the town and the more we could help out Oliver.
What makes Oliver special?
It’s a nice seniors’ town. And it’s got the wineries. It’s got the fairs. It’s got the baseball schools. It has all the factors of entertainment and doing things for people when they are here.
What is one interesting thing about you that few people know?
I’m a team leader. I’ve been in security for 21 years in the Alberta government as a security supervisor. So, I’m very much into law enforcement.
What are two new ideas you will bring to the council table?
I’m very adamant on roads and lighting. I live just on the northern border of Oliver at Tumbleweed Trailer Park. Between OK Tire and here there is just one street light at OK Tire. There is one at the entrance to the park, but it’s been out for two months. There’s no sidewalk. There should be extra lighting and a sidewalk for the seniors.
Better ways of getting people interested in what we have here to develop. There is no bowling at all in town. Everyone has to go to Penticton or Osoyoos to bowl. How many of our town people bowl?
In one sentence, why should anyone vote for you?
I’m a team leader who likes to help people and I’m willing to sit down and talk to someone about problems that they have with the town that we might improve upon.
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Lutz Stelzner is 56 years old and has lived in Oliver for just over a year and a half. He served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 14 years as an electronics technician. He receives a veteran’s disability pension.
What are the two most important issues facing council and where do you stand on them?
One issue they were discussing at the last council meeting was Robotic garbage pick up. Where I stand I can’t say because I haven’t gone over the details of the discussion behind it; I haven’t looked at whether it’s a cost savings.
Campfires at campgrounds in the town. To me they brought up a good point, that the smoke that’s created isn’t the greatest for surrounding people. I think one campfire per 25 campsites is a good number. I’ve gone camping. I like campfires. It seems reasonable.
What makes Oliver special?
I came from Ontario. The people here are definitely a lot more friendly and a lot more social. They’re a lot more helpful, not to say that they aren’t helpful in Ontario. They’re not so high strung . Things don’t seem to bother them so much.
What is one interesting thing about you that few people know?
I’m not that interesting. I’ve never really thought about it.
What are two new ideas you will bring to the council table?
Look at ways of helping the homeless community within Oliver. There are social workers, but maybe talking to people and finding the root causes of why they chose that path. Is it an addiction problem or mental health issues. Although there are some people out there who desire to live like that.
Try to work to find out which industries might want to come here and how we can promote our town and how we can get some industries out here. And get some better paying jobs because the tourism sector doesn’t pay that great a wage.
In one sentence, why should anyone vote for you?
People should consider me because I am new to the area I have kind of a detached objectivity that others may not have who have lived here for a long time. I’m able to see all the sides, where others might already have pre-determined viewpoints.