Six-year council member Mike Gray is taking a shot at becoming the next mayor of Radium Hot Springs.
Gray said he is coming in with established rapport with other local and provincial representatives.
“Local government is not just about going to council meetings and knowing what’s on the agenda. It’s about having that relationship with the Ministry of Transport or Ministry of Health,” said Gray. “It’s important to have those relationships so we’re well-served as a village.”
Gray said he’s excited about the idea of working with an entirely new council if he gets elected.
“I want to make sure I’m able to share my experience and provide some leadership and training that was provided to me when I first joined council,” said Gray.
The mayoral candidate said an updated official community plan is an important long-term project he would like to see progress on.
“Radium’s OCP is from 2013, it’s a document that has served us well, but it’s starting to that it’s a little bit dated,” said Gray. “We’ve had 72 per cent population growth in our community and we need to make sure our OCP reflects the changes that have happened in town.”
Gray said Radium is facing housing issues, much like many other communities.
He said he will put forward a proposal for a revitalization tax exemption for properties entering the long-term rental market.
“A revitalization tax exemption provides builders or homeowners with incentives to either build a secondary suite or houses destined for the long-term rental market,” said Gray. “We as a community get a reward for that; we get the housing we need. We can provide an incentive to the builder for providing us what we need the most.”
Gray is running against newcomer Brad Lawrence in the 2022 General Local Election.
Voting day is set for October 15th.