Age/occupation: 46, special events and fund development officer
If there is one thing Teri Towner believes she can bring to Coquitlam council, it is better community engagement. The Mundy Park-area resident already spends much of her spare time at events, engaging on social media and talking with residents and she believes that if elected she will be able to give residents an "even louder voice."
"I think the city does a good job with community consultation but... I want to demystify city hall," she said. "I want people to not feel intimidated and to get engaged and to have a voice."
Towner said she recognizes the limitations of civic government and prides herself on the fact that she has not promised any specific policies or initiatives. If she is elected, she recognizes that she will be one of nine at the council table and will work to build consensus and advocate on behalf of residents.
Towner acknowledges that there has to be balance between the cost of operating civic services and making tax increases affordable.
"I am not going to say, 'Let's build a new ice arena but we are also going to bring your taxes down,'" she said. "People have to understand that you can't have it both ways."
The city also needs to focus on the issues that fall within its purview, Towner added. She said that too often council wastes city staff time discussing issues over which it has no jurisdiction, such as pipelines or provincially run programs.
