He says he’s making it a race and giving the people a choice.
Long-time city councillor Ron Paull has thrown his hat in the mayoral race.
“After nine years on council, I have come to a three-way fork in the trail – either spin my wheels for another three years as councillor, retire all together from 33 years of local public service or give the people a choice, grab the bull by the horns and throw my hat into the ring for mayor,” Paull said.
Paull said his calling has become increasingly clear as more and more people approach him with their wish for change, as they encourage him to “go for it.”
“I’m tired of being in the pack,” he said.
“I want to lead.”
Paull added his more than three decades of combined staff and council experience at city hall, his knowledge of the issues and “how things work and should work” at the local government level, along with a 40-plus year history in volunteer community service has provided him with the necessary background and connections to lead council through some very challenging times that lay ahead.
The biggest change he said voters will see?
“Openness,” Paull said.
“My leadership style would be more inclusive and transparent, from the bottom-up, rather than from the top-down.
“I would delegate more trust and responsibility to the rest of council. As mayor, I would stay out of staff’s way by spending less time in city hall and more time out on the street, in the neighbourhoods and businesses, interacting directly with the people that I have been elected to serve, on their turf rather than mine.”
Because, he explained, it’s about bringing the “human element back.”
“I have no interest in seats at big city boardroom tables that have no real beneficial connection to Quesnel,” he said.
“I see myself as more of a grassroots, back to basics, keep it simple type of mayor. I see myself more as a people’s politician than a politician’s politician.”
Leading up to the Nov. 19 civic elections, Paull has committed to releasing a series of position papers covering community issues including taxation, governance, air quality, economic development, sub regional recreation, the Multi Centre, seniors and youth, health care, freedom of information and sustainability.
“I admit I had difficulty stepping out of my comfort zone and taking a risk,” he said.
“But as Wayne Gretzky said: ‘You’ll always miss 100 per cent of the shots you don’t take.’ ”