From the Ground Up: Amit Gaur on Three Years at the Council Table

"Send us a text about this episode!"Recorded on location at the AVICC (Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities) Conference, this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks brings a familiar face to the mic. Joel Grenz and Sean Wood welcome Parksville City Councillor Amit Gaur — their colleague at the council table since the 2022 election — for a candid conversation about what local government actually looks like from the inside.Amit came to politics without a political background, nudged into running by fellow Councillor Adam Frass after years of attending meetings and raising community concerns that were largely met with silence. Three and a half years later, he reflects on the learning curve, the limits of local authority, and what it means to serve a community of 15,000 people with delegated powers and a tight budget.The trio cover the gap between public perception and council reality — the misinformation that fills the space when communication falls short, the power of advocacy as a primary tool of local government, and why being nonpartisan is a genuine strategic advantage. They also highlight wins from the term: the short-term rental exemption for Parksville’s Resort Row, the Volunteer First Responder Tax Credit, Amit’s environmental advocacy at AVICC and UBCM, and the Mobi mat beach accessibility project.Listen for:Why Amit decided to run — and the one councillor who encouraged himWhat local government can and can’t do, and why advocacy is the most powerful tool on the tableHow miscommunication breeds misinformation — and what councillors can do about itThe short-term rental exemption win and why staying nonpartisan made the differenceWhat to look for in a candidate when no one knows what the next term will bringTwo priorities still in motion: the OCP revision and the drinking water sustainability studyText us about this episode: Send us a textVisit the NonPartisan Hacks website: https://nonpartisanhacks.com/Voice message: Voice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You’ll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok and YouTube podcasts, as well as PULSECommunity.ca.Special Thanks to our Sponsor Ian Lindsay & Associates for supporting ThePulseCommunity.ca.Check out Skookum Kid’s Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube Podcasts.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests! https://bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignupClick here to learn how to Support the show“Like, Share & Listen!”#PulseCommunityPodcast #publicengagement #ThePulseCommunity #SeanWood #JoelGrenz #ParksvilleQualicumBeach #NonPartisanHacks #ParksvilleNews #VancouverIslandNews #LocalGovernment #AmitGaurSupport the show