Close to winning four years ago, Victor Cumming hopes to land the mayor害羞草研究所檚 job in Vernon this time around.

Cumming, 63, an economist and volunteer, finished second to Akbal Mund by only 625 votes in the 2014 municipal election. He has announced he is again throwing his hat into the ring for the Oct. 20 vote.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 my passion for working on integrated community development, that害羞草研究所檚 my profession, that害羞草研究所檚 my practice and I want to focus on my own region and community,害羞草研究所� said Cumming on his decision to seek election.

害羞草研究所淢any others strongly encouraged me to run again, based on what they see as my demonstrated skill set. It害羞草研究所檚 about doing locally what I害羞草研究所檝e done regionally, provincially and across Canada.害羞草研究所�

Born in Golden and raised in Naramata, Cumming holds a bachelor of arts degree in economics and geography, and a master of arts in rural planning and development. He has taught economic development for Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, and his consulting firm provides economic development, planning and operation assistance to local, regional and First Nations governments across Canada.

In 2014, Cumming害羞草研究所檚 platform talked about how Vernon害羞草研究所檚 diverse economy is a positive and how he wants to come up with new approaches to address the infrastructure deficit in Vernon.

害羞草研究所淭his time, I害羞草研究所檓 more focused on attainable housing,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a really critical issue. If you害羞草研究所檙e in the top 40 per cent, housing isn害羞草研究所檛 an issue. If you害羞草研究所檙e in the bottom 60 per cent, yeh, it害羞草研究所檚 an issue. Safety is another big issue, I don害羞草研究所檛 need to say much more than that. It害羞草研究所檚 been on the front pages. Community safety is an issue that has really accelerated in the last three or four years.

害羞草研究所淏usiness and economic development continue to be really significant and will be in the next three years, particularly with a dramatically changing international environment. Infrastructure continues to be key. The city is putting significant efforts into restoring old infrastructure and there害羞草研究所檚 infrastructure that needs to be fixed that害羞草研究所檚 not operating well.害羞草研究所�

Cumming said he was an unknown entity in the 2014 race but still finished second behind a more well-known candidate in Mund. Being so close then, along with plenty of encouragement now, convinced Cumming to take another crack at the mayor害羞草研究所檚 chair.

害羞草研究所淔our years ago, if I害羞草研究所檇 been way back it would have been an indicator to let this idea go,害羞草研究所� said Cumming. 害羞草研究所淚 was a new face when I ran four years ago. I came from relatively unknown to doing well with someone like Akbal who is extremely well known.害羞草研究所�

Candidates for mayor and council will again be running for four-year terms in the October vote. Cumming said that害羞草研究所檚 not a problem for him.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 now 63, at the end of my career, and this would signal a shift,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 the right time for me. Doing the mayor thing is a full-time job, I recognize that and will give it that respect.害羞草研究所�

Mund has not publicly declared if he plans to seek re-election in October. Former Mayor Wayne Lippert and painter Art Gourley have declared their intentions to run for mayor.