After two terms on Vernon city council, Coun. Catherine Lord says she won't be running for re-election.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/City of Vernon
August 30, 2018 - 11:18 AM
VERNON - As one Vernon councillor bows out of the upcoming race in this fall's election, two more city council candidates have opted in.
Two term city councillor Catherine Lord has announced she won't be running in the upcoming election, while property manager Sherrilee Franks and mortgage broker Kari Gares are the latest to announce they'll be running for council.
After seven years on council, Lord says she believes it's time for someone new and fresh to take her place.
"I've done what I think what I wanted to do," Lord says, adding she thinks the city is on a good course.
Her greatest achievements, Lord says, was building better relationships with the North Okanagan Regional District and other partners, achievements which she says aren't immediately visible but will have a lasting effect.
What she hasn't liked is the endless attacks city councillors face on social media.
"I'm getting a little cynical about people at this point and a lot of it has to do with social media, and I don't want to become a pessimistic person," she says.
Lord says being a councillor is not a job you can do "from the corner of your work desk" and advises anyone running to make sure they have a flexible working environment. Her advice is to make sure you have at least two full-time days to give to the job per week. She also says candidates need to run on more than one issue.
"Remember that you're responsible for all of the citizens, not just a select few so you need to be able to come into things with an open mind."
Rick Lavin, Kelly Fehr, Teresa Durning and incumbent Dalvir Nahal have all publicly stated they'll be running for council.
In the race for mayor, Erik Olesen, Darrin Taylor, Victor Cumming and Art Gourley have all said they will be running. The current mayor Akbal Mund has not yet said whether he will run again.
Candidates have from Sept. 4 until Sept. 10 to register. The election takes place Oct. 20.
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