Candidates are beginning to announce their intention to run for mayor and council in the 2016 civic election. The most recent to announce is Calvin Tokarchuk.
One of Tokarchuk’s main campaign points is increasing the amount of transparency about what happens in city hall and how it affects people within the city. Tokarchuk’s goal is to have an open dialog between people within the community and city hall.
“I don’t know if everyone gets the whole story. People don’t mind paying taxes, so long as they know where it’s going, and that it’s going where they need.”
Tokarchuk believes some of the issues will surround the how lots are priced, how the city is encouraging development and how tax dollars are being used.
“Some of the questions are the money that has been spent on our roads, where it’s been spent and how it’s been spent. Some of the future ideas about spending a ton of money now for the future, and leaving us in the lurch.”
For example, he would like to see the budgeting process for the city be completely public from beginning to end, and notes that without transparency there can be a lot of rumors and hearsay about what is going on with city projects.
Not looking at any one demographic to make his support base, Tokarchuk believes that the city needs someone new in city hall, with new ideas and a fresh perspective on the issues facing people in the city.
“My personal opinion is as long as you take care of people, they are going to take care of you. As long as you are looking out for everyone’s best interest – and that is supposed to be what city council and the mayor’s jobs are, to look after the best interests of taxpayers and citizens.”
The owner of Du-all Drywall in Yorkton, Tokarchuk says that he believes that his experience in running the business is an asset for his mayoral bid.
“My business experience over the past five years will really be a bonus in running a city like a business, because really that’s what it should be run like.”
He also says that a mayoral bid will not be an issue with running his own business, and says that he has a good staff in place to keep the business running.
