PROFILE: John Coburn, Midway Council

1.  Brief summary of you are and why you have decided to run for office:   

 

I am seeking the support of Midway voters to have me elected as your representative on council.  My family is “new” to the Boundary and Midway.  My wife of forty-five years and I moved our home-based business, Coburn’s BookWorld Ltd. to Midway because of the climate, the life style and the proximity to a United States post office as most of our sales were to Americans.  That was in 2003.  In 2005 we convinced our daughter and grand-daughter to join us so there are three generations of Coburn’s’ now in Midway.

 

Why run for council and why now you may ask.  I have followed our Village politics since arriving here.  I have also seen our village population age as our younger members left to find careers “outside” and more seniors move in to replace them.  In order to maintain a healthy community, we need a balanced of youth, middle aged and senior.  We must get back this balance before it is too late and we lose out schools.  Tomorrow may be too late for action.

 

2. What is your background? Have you held office before?  

 

Since arriving in Midway, I have worked on the Library board, have given time and goods to events in the community and supported monetarily many clubs.  I have been the co-ordinator for the West Boundary Road Rescue team for seven years and recently took on responsibility for Provincial Emergency Preparedness for the Village.

 

Although I have never held public office I have been a follower of the political field since I worked my first election in the early 1980’s.  I have held responsible positions in Rotary International at club and district levels.  I am not afraid of long hours and hard work and embrace a challenge.

 

My career has been mostly in the computer maintenance field – I am a dinosaur in main-frame computing.

3. What do you think are the top three challenges facing the city/region/school district in the upcoming term?         

I have also seen our village population age as our younger members left to find careers “outside” and more seniors move in to replace them.  In order to maintain a healthy community, we need a balanced of youth, middle aged and senior.  We must get back this balance before it is too late and we lose out schools.  Tomorrow may be too late for action.

 

We have in place a viable community plan thanks to the work of the last few councils.  We also have transition studies that have been largely ignored.  My dream is to be on the team that brings economic development to our community core, that brings young entrepreneurs to our village and sees children filling every available seat in our schools.

 

4. How do you think you can impact these challenges?

 

                  

5.  If you could describe yourself in three words what would they be?                                                 

     

6.  Other comments that you feel are important to the voters. 

 

With your help, we can bring economic stability to Midway.  We cannot be a one industry town any longer.  We need to diversify.