$1,000 Raised, $4,000 to Go. Support Nathan's Run for Langley City Council

Last week, I launched a fundraiser to support my bid for election to City of Langley Council. The response has been phenomenal. Because of the support of people like you, together we’ve raised close to $1,000 with online and offline donations toward building streets that work, a community that's strong.

$1,000 is an impressive amount, but I still require your support. It costs close to $1,700 to mail a simple postcard to select households in Langley; I need to send at least two postcards to these households. This is key to let citizens know that I’m running for council, and that I support building an accessible and safe community for all people.

We have 29 days to go and $4,000 left to raise, I know with your support we will meet this goal. If you haven’t donated already, please visit https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/7p9ib where you can also claim great perks.

You may also donate by cheque. Information is available at http://www.nathanpachal.com/p/donate-now.html

With your support, I know we can truly make Langley the place to be.

TransLink Executive Compensation Reality Check

It seems that a month doesn’t go by without our favorite anti-tax group trying to bring down TransLink. With their relentless attacks against transit in our region, I believe this group won’t be satisfied until we are all stuck in traffic with no transit service.

The latest attack against TransLink was around its 2013 executive and board compensation. It’s always easy to get people upset about executive compensation because the numbers appear large.

By attacking top-level compensation, it is implied that vast sums of money are going to pay for executives and board members, while other service suffers. Is this really the case?

TransLink 2013 Total Expenses with a Focus on Executive and Board Member Compensation. Select graph to enlarge.

TransLink’s 2013 executive and board member compensation was $3.1 million. TransLink is a $1.4 billion organization. $3.1 million represents 0.2% of its total operation expenses. To put that into context, $3.1 million dollar is about how much it costs to run the 320 bus route for one year.

So even if you got rid of all executives and boards (which you wouldn’t do), the money save would be insignificant.

While it is good to ensure that compensation at TransLink is in line with other billion dollar plus agencies, attacking executive compensation really distracts from the main issue. Our transit system does not have the revenue to meet existing demand or expand service in areas like the South of Fraser.

City of Langley Community Gardens Open House

One of the priorities of the City of Langley Parks and Environment Advisory Committee is to see more community gardens in our neighbourhoods. Right now, there is only one community garden in the City which is located at the Nicomekl Elementary School near 53rd Avenue and 200th Street.

Community gardens enhance the quality of life not only for those that have a community garden plot, but also the neighbourhood where the community garden is located.

Gardening provides physical activity and can help relieve stress for those who participate. Gardens also provides access to fresh vegetables which may be hard to come-by for some people.

Community gardens can also help beautify an area and create a sense of place. They also provide a good excuse for neighbours to get to know each other. There are many other benefits.

The City of Langley is now planning to install a community garden. On Thursday, September 18 from 4pm to 7pm at Nicomekl Elementary School, the City of Langley is having an open house to solicit feedback from residents about the preferred location and design for a community garden.

Locations being considered are in Michaud Park, Douglas Park, Linwood Park and Dumais Park. For more information, visit the City of Langley’s website.

Support Nathan's Run for Langley City Council

It is amazing how fast time flies. Earlier this year, I announced that I am running for Langley City Council. With the November 15th election only a few short weeks away, I require your support.

I’m running because I believe City Council needs to support a strong local economy by renewing Downtown Langley. We must also build an accessible and safe community for all people.

As the longest currently serving member on the City of Langley Parks and Environment Advisory Committee, I will advocate to promote and enhance the Nicomekl floodplain.

If you share my vision of building streets that work, a community that's strong, I require your support.

Today, I’ve launch an exciting fundraising campaign. I need to raise $5,000 to make this vision of Langley possible, with your help.

If you donate online, there are great perks available including an exclusive artisan wine from a local Langley vineyard and high tea with me.

While visiting my online fundraising page at https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/7p9ib, be sure to check out my new video and share it with your friends.

Donate online today, and with your support, we can truly make Langley the place to be.