Kevin Moutray hopes to serve his third term as a district councillor following the Oct. 20 elections.
A small business owner, biathlon coach and a search and rescue volunteer, Moutray says he loves “working with people. I love working to make things better.”
He adds that he’s never home, because he’s always out working within the community.
Moutray says he thinks the current council has had a lot of success, particularly with the new aquatic centre and the water tower, as well as bringing the Salvation Army to town and getting the YMCA to partner on recreational programs at the community centre. “There have been a lot of wins throughout the term, but there’s still lots to get done.”
Next, Moutray wants to look toward “livability” in Vanderhoof. He wants to make sure people have a higher quality of life, part of which, he says, is ensuring there is a high quality of recreational activities and things to do around town.
He wants to keep improving parks and trails in town, and he would also like to tackle air pollution levels. “We’re in the top three every year for the worst PM2.5 levels so getting that number down, I think is going to be a big challenge.” PM2.5 readings affect air quality. PM2.5 levels refer to very fine particles in the air, which can lead to heart or lung disease, and can trigger or further worsen conditions like asthma, bronchitis or heart attacks if levels are high enough.
Although these levels are bound to increase this year with the wildfires, Moutray, who is the chair of the environment committee, says it is still possible to work toward reducing the amount of locally produced wood emissions that contribute to the higher levels.
One of the biggest issues he would like to address if re-elected is Rio Tinto’s management of the Nechako Reservoir, as since the company merged with Alcan, he says the reservoir has been holding a higher water level.
“We’re paying for [the higher water levels] here where we see multiple high water points through the year,” says Moutray. “From a flooding standpoint, from a biological standpoint, and from an agricultural standpoint, I think getting a water use agreement with province and with Rio Tinto is going to be the big thing in the next four years.”
Moutray says he’s hesitant to pick an accomplishment that he is most proud of in his time on council, but that he thinks it’s really “the whole package.”
He adds: “It’s been a heck of a lot of fun and I look forward to doing another four years.”
newsroom@ominecaexpress.com
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