Vic wants to go to sell

If voters give Vic Fedeli the thumbs-up as North Bay's new mayor, he says he'll get out there and "sell, sell, sell."

The 47-year-old retired marketing executive says he has no desire "to put my hands in the kitchen at city hall."

"I just want to be out every day selling North Bay, I want to be in Toronto selling, I want to be where people are buying industrial land, and I want to sell them our industrial land and collect their tax dollars every day," Fedeli said, while opening his campaign headquarters this week.

Fedeli has released portions of his 2020 Vision plan, the backbone of his mayoral campaign.


First job as salesman

Some of the plan includes implementing a signage program to bring tourists off the highway and into downtown North Bay; implementing a grant accessing program; and forming a think tank which would include professional expatriate North Bayites now living in the United States and overseas.

While Fedeli would want to implement parts of 2020 Vision within the first 100 days of being elected, he realizes he'd be only one of 11 local politicians at the council table.

And if he's called upon to sell his plan to council,well...
"I’m excited to work with any councillors this community elects," Fedeli said.

"Naturally at least half the council will be new this year, so we are starting with a fresh group. The plan is so back to basics, and my first job will be as a salesman to the new council."

Administration needs new direction

And he believes he's up to the task.

"That will be the first test of my leadership and my first test as a salesman and I’m telling you I’m one hell of a salemen."

His next task will be selling city hall administration on the plan.

"The administration takes direction from council and today they follow the direction from council, but I just don’t believe in that direction," Fedeli said.

"They need a new direction. I believe their role is to listen to and implement all the decisions made by the mayor and council."


Drumming business up

Once everyone is on the same side, Fedeli said, Operation Drumbeat goes into action.

"I want the mayor and council as a team heading to Toronto and beating the drum, it’s as simple as that," Fedeli said.

"Operation Drumbeat is to sell, sell sell, and I want to be the salesman for North Bay."