THUNDER BAY – Mark Bentz is looking to make a city council comeback.
Four years after being bested by Shelby Ch’ng in Northwood, the long-time municipal representative has joined the 26-candidate at-large race, saying he wants to continue to make a difference for the people of Thunder Bay by helping forge the city’s long-term future.
Bentz, a former chair of council’s budget committee, who helped spearhead the vision behind Prince Arthur’s Landing as chair of the waterfront development committee, was first elected in Northwood in 2003, serving 11 years on council.
Before that, he was a trustee on the school board.
The 52-year-old high school teacher says he’s dedicated his life to public service and said he believes his experience would be an asset at city hall.
“I really have a focus that encapsulates the whole city. I thought that I really want to have the big picture this time, rather than just the ward,” Bentz said, explaining his switch from ward to at-large bid.
One of those issues is community safety.
While Bentz doesn’t see it as a huge budgetary issue, it will take a great effort to create the necessary collaboration to tackle the city’s growing crime rate and overcome its root causes, things like addiction and poverty.
“There are lots of organizations that can assist and are assisting. We just need to maybe enhance some of that because city council, the police department, they certainly can’t do it all alone,” Bentz said. “They need the help of the community.”
He added there is a heightened sensitivity toward crime in the news, and it’s telling in his campaigning.
“I’m walking around and I’m hearing about break-ins, I’m hearing about gangs emerging in Thunder Bay, drug trafficking increasing throughout our community,” he said. “It’s something that is growing, from what I’m hearing. I didn’t hear gangs so much four years ago when I was campaigning.”
The homicide rate must also be addressed. The city routinely captures the dubious murder capital of Canada title, and that’s got to change, Bentz said.
“This is something that needs to be addressed for our city to feel safe and to be perceived as a safe place,” he said. “I think we certainly have a role to play. City council is representative of the citizens, we help facilitate things and the police department enforces the law. But these two groups cannot act in silos.”
The municipal election is Oct. 22.
