Coming Soon

Coming soon will be a new Blog by me Spencer Coyne, I may just add it to this one or I may start a new one all together it will be a spin off of my opinion column in the Similkameen Spotlight news paper (http://www.similkameenspotlight.com) it will be called Flip of the Coyne.

It will be all opinion and it will piss some people off and some may just enjoy my rantings about political parties, and politicians and other great topics. So come back soon and I will have some news for you all.

-Spencer

Much to think about

Wow,
That’s about all I can say about the response I have gotten from people since the election. Most people have come to me in shock that I was not re-elected and they are sorry that I lost by such a small margin. Thank you.

Since the results have been announced I have been asked countless times if I was going to stay in the public eye. I would like to say I am going to do my best to stay involved. I am looking for a job and much will depend on this. There is much that I started that I still would like to see finished but more importantly I did not run for council to make a name for myself I did it for the community and that is why I am going to do everything I can to continue my work in the community. I have been asked to stay on a number of committees and I have even been asked if I will be running for election in 3 years. I am going to try to stay on a few committees and for running for council again that will be decided later. Right now I have other things I have to focus on.

One of the things I do not want to leave behind is my stand on the coal fired generating plant. I took some heat during the election campaign for not supporting the project and the possible 30+ jobs that it would create. I still stand behind my decision. I am not against the project from what I understand is that there are technologies available to create almost zero pollutants. Is the company going to use these technologies? I cannot say since council has not received this information, is the science that the company shown council the absolute best? Cannot say since there has been no environmental impact study done and only simulations on a computer were preformed. There are so many unknowns that you cannot make an informed decision based on the information that was given to us. I have done my own research, I have talked to the other side of the argument and I have not been able to find the answers that I want answered. So as a councillor who is supposed to look out for the best interest of all members of the community I could not support the project. Now I am still a councillor until December 5 and if this issue is to come up again I will continue to stand behind my decision.

I do hope that when the new council takes over that they request information from the company as well as information from the opposing side so that they can receive all the information that is available. I hope that they will make an informed decision and then will stand behind this decision.

-Spencer

Time for new things

Well since the election did not turnout as we had hoped it is time to look towards our futures. My wife and I are contemplating what we want to do now. She is thinking about taking some university courses so if she wants to do something with her BA she can. I am going to be seeking employment hopefully in town as well as focusing my attentions towards my business and family.

I would like to thank everyone who has supported me over the last 3 years, those who voted for me and all of those who couldn’t. If you want to contact me you can still email me at spencercoyne@uniserve.com or you can find me downtown. Thank you again.

Spencer

Misconceptions

I want to take this opportunity to talk about the development of Princeton’s industrial and commercial sectors. There seems to be some misunderstanding about what the plan for the airport really is. It is not this current councils plan to turn our airport into the Vancouver International Airport.

The plan is to:

1) make a sound business plan, this way we do not spend thousands of taxpayers dollars on a project that will not work.

2) in conjunction with infrastructure upgrades and plans to the business park upgrade infrastructure to the airport for example water, build the reservoir so it can service both the airport and the business park and the PXA grounds.

3) survey lots for airport residential, commercial and airport industrial, this will provide funds to the airport for further development.

4) work with BC ambulance/Interior Health to make the airport accessible to the air ambulance year round.

Those of us who are working on this project are trying to make it as affordable as possible. We do not want it to be on the backs of the taxpayers rather we want it to pay for itself and with the help of industry and the provincial ministries who can utilize the airport. It would be foolish to stop the progress that we have made on the airport project. Why develop one side of the road and then come back to the other side later when we can spend the money now and have it all done. It is backwards thinking to only do part of a development project when you know in the future it will cost more.

This type of thinking is why we are having problems at the airport, business park, PXA grounds, landfill, and subdivision or two. It is better to do the job right now than redo it later.

-Spencer Coyne
VOTE COYNE on NOV. 19th

Great Things Are Happening!!

Great things are happening!

That’s right Princeton is moving forward one step at a time. From a return letter from the Minister of Tourism, her aid and a phone call from her aid about possible funding opportunities for the Bridge over the Tulameen River which will complete our section of the Trans Canada Trail a continuous trail in Princeton what a great idea and a phone call from possible labour source to build the bridge. All thanks to the work done at the UBCM this fall.

But that’s not all! I got notice just the other day about the funding from Western Economic Diversification for our airport business plan. You guessed it something is going to start happening for our airport. This means that we will have the action plan needed to move the airport forwards.

It is good to see that all of the hard work is coming to fruition.

GREAT DAY FOR PRINCETON!

Great day for Princeton!

Last night council voted to continue with the limited winter maintenance of the airport as well as commitment for 1 more year of funding for the Similkameen Valley Planning Society. This is a great day for the future of Princeton I know it is only for one more year but it will allow the next council to get comfortable in its new position before they are faced with such important issues.

I think the next step for Princeton is to join with the other area representatives and Keremeos and sign on to the bylaw which would give long-term stability to the SVPS. This will be for the next council to decide upon but I believe that once they see the benefit to the program they will jump on board with our neighbours.

I would just like to thank everyone who came to the council meeting to show their support, the people who sent letters to council urging them to continue with the SVPS and to all of those who talked to members of council. If the community did not get onside with us the vote could very possibly have went in another direction. Thank you

Spencer

RANT (I think)

A little while ago I was told that there are some people who feel that I have not kept my election promises. I found this a little insulting at first because I only promised 1 thing in my election speech and that was that I would do the job to the best of my ability. I said that I was not there to make promises that were unrealistic. I stick to that still today, I cannot nor will I as a politician make promises that are unreal or even unrealistic.

Another person I talked to about this said what they think the criticism is all about was the indoor pool question that was asked to everyone who ran for council. My answer was and still is “If it is feasible” I will not commit to any project that will break the community. I would love an indoor pool who wouldn’t. The issue is not can we build it but can we keep it running?

On my website I have left the 10 points that I ran on posted not only because they are things that I wanted to talk about during the election but because I am committed to these 10 points still today. I leave them up because I feel that everyone who elected me and even those who did not should have the right to see what I saw as the main issues for our community when I ran. I still work towards achieving those 10 points today.

I will admit that I have not been able to get some of what I wanted to see done accomplished during this term on council but you must remember that there are 5 members of council in total and you need a majority to make things move forward. There have been problems in achieving some of what I envisioned but these problems are being or have been worked out and things have began to move forward.

Not wanting to get into a check list of things that I have been part of I am going to end my little rant or what ever you want to call it. Below is a copy of the actual speech I gave at the all candidates forum. I found it on my old computer. It is a speech and not a letter so some of the grammar is not the greatest but I did not want to change it.

SPEECH FROM ELECTION:

I am here tonight because I want to help my community. I moved back to Princeton last December after 3 years in college. When I tell my peers that I moved home they all ask WHY? There is nothing there for us! This saddens me because it is true. My cousins, brother and friends have all moved away to find work. Those of us who do not get jobs at the mill or in the bush, end up working for minimum wage or a little more. Then it is seasonal at best!
I grew up here my father and his father grew up here. My roots are strong in Princeton and when I have a family I want them to grow up here and benefit from what my community has to offer. This is why I am here before you now. I want to help my community to develop an economic future so that my peers and the young people who are in our schools now may have the opportunity of raising their families at home!
Princeton has so much to offer, we are rich in resources, natural and human! From logging and wood based industries to artistic and crafts Princeton has the potential for a strong sustainable diversified economic base.

I WILL NOT MAKE FALSE PROMISES TO YOU! SO I CAN ONLY MAKE ONE PROMISE AND THAT IS I WILL DO MY BEST! I cannot say that I will create 400 new jobs no one can. And if they say that they will; then they are lying! All any politician can do is try to their job to do the best of their ability and that is what I promise to you! Princeton is not only my community it is my home!

THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR FUTURE!