A new year is just underway and many are expecting a better 365 days this go around.
The economy in B.C. is expected to move upwards and create more jobs in 2015.
What kind of growth will we get in Williams Lake?
Will there be any new businesses or industries coming into town and will there be some expansion to existing stores and business or industry?
Lots of questions for sure and it is the biggest challenge facing Mayor Walt Cobb and his council.
A big part of Cobb’s campaign program was economic development and, as a long term resident and business person, I think Cobb and this council will make progress in this area.
He will have work cut out for him, council and staff, as many other communities our size are looking for the same thing and all promising great outdoors and good amenities.
Smithers, Terrace, Nelson, Revelstoke, Quesnel, are among many other similar sized cities and they are all singing the same economic song.
In our town I think we need to promote something like available land, along with rail and road transportation, to attract industry.
We must keep promoting our lifestyle and our access to amenities in Williams Lake and area.
Getting more citizens involved in committees like economic development and other areas in town will give council more voter input and diversification of ideas.
I suggest one of the mayor and council’s difficult tasks will be to bring our downtown into being the vibrant core it once was in the day.
It is good news that this time around everything will be open with those elected to govern our city.
So, us as ‘Joe public,’ should have an easy access to information.
The one thing I hope this mayor and council do not do is get goofy ideas to promote ourselves as a republic and spend hard-earned taxpayers money to do so.
We have been down that road before and many considered it pretty dumb.
I suspect Scott Nelson, Jason Ryll, and Craig Smith will support mayor Cobb on many of his desires to get Williams Lake heading in a positive direction.
Lots of work ahead for Williams Lake as we move to bring this community on a positive spin.
Let us hope this year will be good for all of us in Williams Lake.
Ken Wilson is a freelance columnist with the Tribune/Weekend Advisor.