WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 12, 2014
TAYLOR TOPS PGA EVENT your life
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Local golfer Nick Taylor wins tournament A29
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TRAIN TRAGEDY A3 Man killed after his car crashes into a train on Townshipline Road
Incumbent Mayor Bruce Banman (left) is facing a challenge from first-term Councillor Henry Braun.
Banman vs. Braun Two first-term politicians vie for top seat in city hall
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n his first attempt at a political seat, Bruce Banman won the 2011 mayoral election over one-term incumbent George Peary. Now, he is seeking a second term with a plan to bring consistency to the mayor’s chair to continue working on the city’s economic prosperity. Banman, a chiropractor who owns a local practice, was one of two new faces at the council table in the last term along with Coun. Henry Braun, who is now challenging for the mayor’s seat. Banman says his track record shows that the city has moved forward under his leadership. “I came in as a rookie, and look what we’ve accomplished in three short years.” The city didn’t raise taxes this year, the community is safer and city finances have turned around, setting the foundation to work on the economy, he said. Banman said he looks at things from an open, broad perspective and his conciliatory style is an asset. He explained that he doesn’t feel council should always vote unanimously, but said often council votes one way and Coun. Braun another. “If Coun. Braun is elected mayor, we will see more polarization.” With at least three new faces to assume the empty seats on council,
f elected mayor, people will see a side of Coun. Henry Braun they haven’t seen before. Braun, former co-owner, president and CEO of the Abbotsfordbased Pacific Northern Rail Corp., said that while he has been an outspoken councillor, as mayor he would work towards consensus. As a councillor, his job is to ask questions – which should have been asked years ago, he said. The mayor’s role is to interact with council and bring consensus, he said. As mayor, his questions would be to the city manager, before a proposal ever gets to city council, he said. “I don’t want everybody to agree with me, I want to know why you disagree… Otherwise we are just rubber-stamping stuff.” He said of the thousands of votes council has taken, he opposed less than five per cent and his opposition comes from trying to protect taxpayers’ dollars, such as on the YMCA project, where council had considered spending $17.5 million on a local facility. Braun said that with only eight people at the council table due to the election of Simon Gibson to the legislature, there are many four-four votes at the council table. “Many times the mayor actually casts the dissenting vote to make it a tie, which then defeats the issue.”
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SOLUTIONS FOR HOMELESSNESS A7 Council hopefuls discuss their plans for addressing homeless issues in Abbotsford
COACH TURNS PLAYER A33 New Columbia Bible College basketball player coached team last year
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