Judy Dueck, for council.
• Occupation:
I ran a successful consulting business in the community prior to joining the management team with the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows School District as their manager of health, safety and wellness, where I worked until my recent retirement.
• Political experience/qualifications for running in this election:
I served on the board of education from 1993 to 2002, during which I was elected by my peers first as vice-chair, and then as chair. I also served on city council from 2002 to 2014. These years were some of the most rewarding years of my life.
Although I decided to not run for re-election in 2014, I have never lost interest in serving my community at the municipal level of politics. I believe Maple Ridge has huge potential and I have the experience to once again contribute to ensuring it is met.
My extensive employment background has afforded me many opportunities to develop strong leadership and interpersonal skills that have also served me well as a previously elected official. I earned the compliment of being known as “The Voice of Reason.”
I bring a proven track record of being approachable, qualified and I pride myself on the fact that I am known for my high level of integrity.
• Reason for running:
I bring a balanced approach to decision making that is founded on being informed on the facts of the issues, listening to the community and then determining a direction that meets the needs of the majority. I will work to maintain public trust and ensure there is meaningful public consultation regarding the issues and opportunities that face our community, so we can create the solutions together.
I believe our community can address both our issues and our opportunities, but it needs experienced and trustworthy people leading the conversations and I know I bring those qualities and the kind of leadership that is needed to move us forward.
• What do you consider to be the top two issues this election and how would you address them?
I consider housing affordability and the social issues attached to our homeless population two of the top issues, and I would place economic development and transportation as the next two issues. To address housing affordability, we need to ensure we are providing diversity within our zoning and incentives to ensure the full spectrum of housing needs are built. These tools are available to municipal governments and we need to be more aggressive on implementing them.
In regards to the social issues related to the homeless, we need to work with all levels of government to ensure treatment and supports are provided over and above supportive housing. As well, we need to ensure the safety and well-being of all citizens are considered and I will work to ensure this focus becomes a priority within law enforcement and bylaws.
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• Website: www.judydueck.ca
• E-mail: judy@judydueck.ca