Ranj Pillai, a local businessman and former president of the Yukon Liberal Party, is taking a run at city council in the Oct. 15 municipal elections.

The 35-year-old, who also teaches at Yukon College, is vying for a council position on a platform of more accountability, sustainability and smarter commercialization of city assets.

"There's a lack of financial accountability coming from the city,” Pillai told the Star Tuesday.

"Today is the start of ‘Right to Know' Week, and the first news I hear is a deal struck between the municipality and Takhini North residents that's confidential.”

On Monday evening, council debated releasing financial details of the deal to fix water and sewer systems, after Takhini residents and the city settled out of court.

Earlier this year, residents sued the city for negligence after it failed to ensure the infrastructure was up to standard when the federal government sold the property to a private developer in the late 1990s. (See story in Tuesday's Star.)

As well, Pillai believes the city makes plans to spend money it does not have, then wonders why its budget comes up short.

"The municipal government is counting its chickens before they're hatched,” he said.

"Whether it's a land sale or a funding proposal that fails for lack of communication ... the city has to tighten things up financially.”

Upgrades for two lifts for disabled workers and users – one at the Mount McIntyre Recreation Centre and the other at city hall – were delayed after criteria for government funding changed and city officials failed to keep abreast,

according to Pillai.

The other issue is the sale of city-owned waterfront property that has yet to materialize.

"The city's expectation was to have that revenue ... once again, it's overpriced property that buyers felt wasn't feasible to purchase and develop.”

Nominations closed last Thursday, with 12 people challenging for six council seats and two facing off for the job of mayor. Local businessman Al Fedoriak is challenging Mayor Bev Buckway.