‘Problem’ of city hall and city council prompts formation of new political group
By Timothy Schafer
A new, non-partisan group of electors has sprung up in Nelson and is looking to make a difference in the next municipal election in October.
Called CORE — the Coalition of Responsible Electors — the group of people has deemed themselves a grassroots coalition of concerned citizens, united behind shared goals and vision.
The goals that have united the group include solving the “problem” of city council.
“City council is the ‘board of directors’ for the corporation of the City of Nelson, and they’ve abdicated their responsibilities to set direction and guide staff on execution of a vision,” read a quote on CORE’s website (https://www.votecore.com/).
“Nelson used to be a livable, vibrant, well-run city. We believe that with renewed leadership and direction from council … we can be that once again.”
The group of Nelsonites came together in late 2017, “deeply concerned with the lack of direction” at city hall.
Instead of complaining about city council, in 2018 the group formed a registered, non-profit society with the intention of forming a local elector organization and is looking to put forth candidates for municipal office.
And those candidates will operate under four CORE principles, including:
- making Nelson more affordable;
- focusing on core services and making city council more responsible;
- fostering economic growth and creating a more resilient city; and
- restoring pride in the community, making it more livable and vibrant in the process.
However, political aspirations of CORE candidates and the people who formed the organization are at the bottom of the list, the website noted.
“We’re all busy, and the last thing we have time for is running for office,” the website explained. “But we’ve decided that we can no longer just sit back and complain. It’s our civic duty to act.”
In regards to fiscal responsibility, CORE believed that if council were fiscally efficient, effective and responsible it would create a more affordable city.
“Wasting taxpayer dollars is a bigger problem than the total amount of tax we pay,” the website noted.
And part of that waste was in the area of project focus, and not sticking with providing basic services and infrastructure.
“We believe that it is wasteful and counterproductive to launch new (often unsupported) projects,” the website read.
But the city should start with the default position of saying “yes” when an entrepreneur wants to invest in the city, CORE stated, and help bring jobs and economic vitality to the region.
And civic pride can be restored through the upkeep of amenities and gardens, Christmas lights downtown in the winter, support for festivals, cleaning and painting downtown buildings, snow removal and street sweeping.
“All of these and more make Nelson a more livable place for residents, and an attractive place for visitors,” the website read.
The group is aiming to elect a team of CORE candidates to city council in October.
