My name is Ken Johnston and I stand before you asking for your support in the upcoming municipal byelection.
For close to 40 years I have resided within this wonderful community and for three terms I have had the privilege of representing the wonderful residents of Grand Forks as a city councillor. Further, when I first relocated from Penticton in the late seventies, I also had the honour of being your city administrator. Politics and people, however, are my passion.
My community involvement runs deep. I currently sit on the Grand Forks and District Recreation Commission, as well as have been involved in as a past president of the Grand Forks Fall Fair Society, the Grand Forks International baseball tournament in its infancy, Babe Ruth baseball, Cal Ripken, and ladies fast pitch among others.
Broadacres, Border Bruins, are even more volunteer work that I have done.
Most recently I have had the most wonderful opportunity to be involved with BETHS, the Boundary Emergency Transitional Housing Society's emergency shelter, and what a heartwarming experience it has been.
But that is what I have done my friends, and this is what needs to be done.
For the past year and half this council has been fractured, we have lost staff and we have lost members of council and worse yet the fracture that occurs around that table are also the fractures that occur within our community.
Little gets accomplished and a lot of time gets wasted, and a lot of good money gets thrown after bad.
What we need is unity. To unify this council, this community.
This is what I have done my whole life, from sitting on previous councils, to running companies, to umpiring baseball, to organizing tournaments. I know how to unify, and I am proud to say this.
For our community to prosper, we have to come together for the common good, for a common purpose, and this would be for the people.
We need to check our egos at the door, open our eyes and see what needs to get done, and do it!
For 40 years I have seen the ups and downs, the ebbs and flows of this wonderful community, and while we may be down, I know full well, from the bottom of my heart, that the ups, are just around the corner ... I know I can help unify this council, and together as one, community, council, and us all, Grand Forks will be great again.
I ask again that you support me, Ken Johnston, for city council.