Mayor Candidate Deb Kozak talks housing, sustainability and building relationships in Kootenay Co-op Radio interview
By Bruce Edson
In an interview from The EcoCentric on Kootenay Coop Radio, mayoral candidate Deb Kozak outlined some of her platform, especially as it applies to environmental issues.
Kozak emphasized to The EcoCentric host Bruce Edson relationship building and communication, saying that small local governments can accomplish much more if they work together.
She also talks about how her work on the executive of Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Governments would help her in the role of mayor, especially as a way to reduce the amount of resolutions sent to UBCM, and refine them.
Regarding the functionality and effectiveness of City Council, she said the role of a mayor is to be a facilitator and to ensure “robust, well-rounded discussion and debate on a particular issue”.
“If there is an issue that comes to Council that has not enough information, it is up to the Mayor to ask for that information and to ensure that council has as much as possible before they come to a decision on things,” Kozak told Edson.
“It’s about being fearless when it comes to that discussion and debate. The only way you can really facilitate things and move forward in a community is to hear many voices and have those represented at a council level.”
Kozak also said building a relationship with Austrian climate institute ALP-S could be a effective path forward for addressing sustainability issues, and spoke about her work on the Columbia River Treaty(CBT) through the CBT Local Governments’ Committee.
The Podcast interview by Edson with Mayor candidate Deb Kozak can be found here.
