Thank you

Congratulations to everyone who was elected. Thank you to everyone who voted for me and supported me. I'll be back!

Thank you

Thank you everyone for all of your encouragement and support. This was a fabulous experience. Please vote tomorrow.

Susanne

GET OUT AND VOTE

TOMORROW, Saturday, November 15th, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. is:
ELECTION DAY
Email or call your friends, family, neighbours.
Give them a ride, a piggy back or bus fare
And get out to vote.
Get three people out to vote and ask them to get three more people out to vote.
And, by the way, vote: Flukinger, Susanne
Thanks for your support.
Where to vote:
8 am to 8 pm, Saturday, November 15
Stuart Wood Elementary School 245 St. Paul Street
NorKam Secondary School 730 12th Street
Lloyd George Elementary School 830 Pine Street
John Tod Elementary School 435 McGowan Avenue
Parkcrest Elementary School 2170 Parkcrest Avenue
George Hilliard Elementary School 985 Holt Street
Westmount Elementary School 745 Walkem Road
Beattie Elementary School 492 McGill Road
Aberdeen Elementary School 2191 Van Horne Drive
South Sahali Elementary School 1585 Summit Drive
Dufferin Elementary School 1880 Hillside Drive
Ralph Bell Elementary School 1764 Valleyview Drive
Marion Schilling Elementary School 2200 Park Drive
Dallas Elementary School 296 Harper Road
Robert L. Clemitson Elementary School 5990 Todd Road
Arthur Stevenson Elementary School 2890 Bank Road
Westsyde Secondary School 855 Bebek Road
Rayleigh Elementary School Puett Ranch Road
Heffley Creek Elementary School Heffley Creek


sflukinger@shaw.ca
250-554-4771

Hazards of the Campaign Trail

Now the birds are flocking to me. Out door knocking again today when a bird flew right into me. We were both alright, just a little startled.

AN ATTITUDE OF WELCOME

Whether it is a first impression for a visitor at a local restaurant or a business needing permits from city hall, Kamloops needs to present itself with enthusiasm and a desire to serve.

Many travelling to our city comment on the friendly greetings they receive from locals. Kamloopsians are friendly and that is an important part of selling ourselves. If a visitor comes through and is served by a waiter with a toothache, who had a fight with his girlfriend and takes it out on the customer, the visitor will judge our entire city on that first and, sometimes, only encounter. We all matter. We can make a difference.

The SuperHost program is good training and it should be offered far and wide within our community. Let’s require it and even offer incentives to those who take it. Plus, continue with refresher courses and upgrading.

Let’s expand this attitude of service throughout city council and city hall. We have many good people on council and on staff, but again, one difficult encounter will paint the entire experience. We should all take training or refresher courses on service. When a citizen needs to work through the business process or construction permit process we need to remember they are not doing us a favour, we are there to serve them and help make the process as simple, straightforward and pleasant as possible.

All of this means giving that little extra, the smile, the, “How can I help you,” and the follow through. The City of Kamloops may be a non-profit business but a successful business is based on service. Let’s serve with excellence. Thank you to the many who do. Let’s keep getting better.

STORMY ECONOMIC TIMES AND GROWTH

Fear can do more damage than financial crisis. Kamloops is going to be hit by waves of the financial storm but we are in a good place to face it. We have experienced healthy growth. Our employment market, housing sales and construction have done well. Tourism has seen growth. We have a well maintained city with good infrastructure.
Nevertheless this is a time to control spending, pursue absolute needs but postpone wants. With five teenagers we often have to determine between needing and wanting an expensive new toy. It is a time to limit tax increases to the necessities.
At the same time we must actively pursue new industry, small business and investment.
We have the vehicles in place. Venture Kamloops is an organization with the skilled staff to attract business. We need to provide them with the resources to lobby for funding. We need to work with Thompson Rivers University. They are promoting our city around the world. We need to introduce people to Kamloops through tourism and the Tournament Capital program.
That is often our biggest challenge, introducing people to the quality of life in this city. But once they are exposed to it, Kamloops sells itself.

Substance and Fluff

SUBSTANCE AND FLUFF
Michelle Young wrote an interesting column. She was talking about the clichés we candidates are using and the lack of substance or concrete solutions to problems. I agree. I think part of the problem is that there are so many candidates and at a forum we each have four minutes to get out our message and answer questions. Not a lot of time for details. I, for one, will try to do better.
Although the Daily News gave us 300 words for three questions, other queries and polls are limited to one sentence or a yes or no answer.
The real solution means more leg work for the voter. Contact us, the candidates, with your questions and find out our ideas and solutions.