My family moved to Penticton in 1986 having bought and existing longstanding business here.
Volunteering to the Penticton Art Gallery and the Ironman Canada Triathlon, I served on both boards as chair. Elected to the Penticton Wine Country Chamber of Commerce, I served the max of six years. I was also elected to the Penticton Tourism Association for two consecutive terms.
I assisted Penticton’s soccer association with their Adidas Sportsplex and facilitated their $250,000 walking track, sponsored by Ironman’s Graham Fraser. I co-ordinated a job retraining program for the Southern Interior Construction Association through three successive contracts before becoming executive director of OSNS Child Development Centre, holding that position for almost 20 years before retiring.
First elected to council in 2008 and again in 2011, I have served as the city’s liasion to arts and culture as well many other committees.
After nearly three years on council, Judy Sentes said she would like to utilize the experience, skills and knowledge she has acquired to help make a difference in the community Penticton is and will become.
“I have no ambition to be a political entity or to make politics a new career or a second one, but I am passionate about the community I live in and I want it to be the best that it could be for everyone concerned,” said the first-time councillor. “If the community will have me, I think they know me well enough to know that I come from a common-sense oriented positive attitude and really just want to do what’s best for this community.”
According to Sentes, the first two years of the current mandate were quite challenging but council worked hard to make the tough decisions necessary to put the city in a position to move forward.
“We have come through a lot of the stuff that needed to be addressed and I think we have come positively to the other side,” Sentes said. “One of those positives is the hiring of (city CAO) Annette Antoniak. I find her very resolution orientated. She is definitely approachable and very positive. She’s always looking to find solutions outside the box, and that is the type of person that is a pleasure to work with.”
Sentes said in her own approach to civic government she strives to be fair, accessible and open-minded when making decisions.
“I’m not given to having preconceived notions or predetermined responses,” she explained. “I really like to stay open and hear all of the information. Certainly a city’s staff is a resource and a provider of information but so is the community and sometimes you have to be cautious.
“You shouldn’t jump too quickly with an answer until you have heard everything that is pertinent to the question.”