A veteran at the council table and a first-term school trustee confirmed this week their names will be on the ballot when local elections take place in November.
Coun. Raj Kahlon announced this week he intends to seek another term on District of Squamish Council.
His announcement came the day after met with his campaign team from 2002.
According to Kahlon, his key supporters told him there was no question about whether or not they should go through another campaign.
They told him he will run, said Kahlon.
"Squamish can use the experience I have," he said. "I'm not scared to ask the questions. My supporters say I bring checks and balances."
One of the issues Kahlon is concerned about heading into the next Council term is the decision of the current council to "deplete reserve funds" and sell District of Squamish land to prevent tax increases.
"Watch, 2007 will be a bad year for tax increases," Kahlon said. "We will have to pay then for what is happening now."Kahlon said he believes he made good on all the things he planned to bring to Squamish in this past term and in some cases he said he exceeded expectations.
Now he wants to help the next council find a balance as he said he feels the previous council was too oriented in favour of the forest industry while he said the current council has a strong emphasis on tourism.
As for any rumours that he is leaving Squamish, Kahlon said they aren't true.
He said he works three days a week at his store in Lillooet. He works there but lives in Squamish and he added that he intends to spend the rest of his life in Squamish.
"Squamish is my home," said Kahlon.
Meanwhile, Doug Hackett, the current chair of the School District 48 Board of Trustees, said he is going to seek re-election."They spent three years training me so I want them to get something out of it," Hackett told The Chief. "I really feel that the next three years I can be of much more value than I was in the early part."
Former board chair Amy Shoup said she has not decided if she will seek another term.
The Chief tried unsuccessfully to reach trustee Constance Rulka. The retired schoolteacher is the most experienced Squamish member of the board of trustees.
jfrench@squamishchief.com
