Kamloops city councillor Nancy Bepple has announced she will seek another term on council in the next municipal election, saying she wants to continue building on work done during the current term and help guide the city’s growth.

Bepple said her decision to run again was influenced by encouragement from residents and by her belief that there is more work to do at city hall.

“Number one, people have asked me to run,” she said in an interview. “Number two, I do a great job. And number three, I think there’s a lot of opportunities to keep moving Kamloops forward.”

Bepple has previously served multiple terms on council, first elected in 2008 and again in 2011 before returning to the council table in the current term. She said her experience allows her to bring what she describes as a measured and thoughtful voice to discussions around the horseshoe.

During the past three-and-a-half years, she said council has focused on several major initiatives, including the city’s Build Kamloops infrastructure program, the adoption of a new official community plan and approving housing developments that have come before council.

“I have to recognize that I’m part of a council,” Bepple said. “As a council we’ve brought forward Build Kamloops, we’ve got a new official community plan, and we’ve approved almost every single housing project that’s come to council.”

She said she has worked to bring attention to sustainability and livability issues, including improving cycling infrastructure, sidewalks and transit as the city grows.

Bepple was elected in the 2022 municipal election with 7,745 votes, or 33.36% of ballots cast in the councillor race. She finished eighth overall in the crowded field of more than 20 candidates, securing the final seat on council behind top vote-getters including Katie Neustaeter, Bill Sarai and Mike O’Reilly.

The current council term has at times been marked by disagreements among members, but Bepple said the work of the city continues despite those challenges.

“The business of the city is getting done,” she said. “What you have to do, no matter who’s around the table, is focus on what you can get done and bring what you have to the table.”

She pointed to efforts to address community safety, discussions around policing changes and work to acquire land for housing through the city’s housing corporation as examples of progress made during the term.

Bepple said she chose to announce her campaign early because of the amount of work involved in running for office and the reliance on volunteers during the campaign period.

“It may seem like it’s a long ways off, but there’s also summer,” she said. “Once you finish summer, you only have about six weeks before the election. Getting started early helps me and it’s fair to anybody who’s volunteering with me as well.”

If re-elected, Bepple said she plans to focus on four main priorities, including improving sustainable transportation such as cycling routes, sidewalks and transit, along with road safety through a Vision Zero approach. She also wants to see housing development reflect local demographics, noting many Kamloops households consist of one or two people.

Economic development is another focus, particularly the city’s mining supply sector. Bepple said Kamloops is home to more than 400 companies that service the mining industry and sits at the centre of mining activity in the province, creating opportunities for continued growth.

She also highlighted the importance of maintaining strong relationships with neighbouring First Nations, particularly Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc.

“There’s uncertainty with the province revisiting its legislation,” Bepple said. “That means the relationship that we have with Tk̓emlúps is that much more important to bring certainty to people that live in Kamloops.”

Bepple is the first council candidate to formally announce a bid for the next election, though Kamloops mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson has said he plans to run again and councillor Mike O’Reilly has indicated he intends to seek the mayor’s chair.