Squamish council candidate Terrill Patterson unveiled a cut-out drawing of a giant screw.
He flashed it to the crowd in Brennan Park Recreation Centre's multi-purpose room - all gathered to listen to the municipal election candidates discuss and debate on Monday (Nov.7).
The incumbents hoping to be re-elected to council have done nothing for the community over their past three-year term, Patterson said.
"That is right: They screwed Squamish."
But don't get your hopes up, Patterson continued.
"Will the next bunch perform any better?" he asked the audience in the packed gymnasium. "The answer is no."
Wanting to prove him wrong were 22 of the 23 candidates vying for the six council seats at municipal hall. Susan Chapelle, owner of Squamish Therapeutics, said if elected she knows she won't have all the answers, but that the District of Squamish needs to better utilize the talents of its citizens.
"Our diversity in our community is our key," she said.
With a background in building business and having worked on brand marketing for Kraft and Kellogg's, Jeff Cooke said he planned to tackle the district as he would a company. With the growth in telecommuting, Squamish needs to invest in its assets to continue to draw in new residents, he added.
"A lot of the reason people come here is the outdoors," he said.
The Squamish Oceanfront project will be one such lure, incumbent Doug Race said. It could redefine Squamish, he said, noting the community has grown out of its milltown beginnings.
"Our future is in a waterfront community," Race said.
While Race is positive when it comes to the Oceanfront project, professional accountant Larry McLennan said the project is one of his leading motivators for him to seek a seat on council - but for different reasons. Faced with the Squamish Oceanfront Development Corp.'s (SODC) $8 million debt and seeking an additional $5 million to build a park, McLennan said he is eager to manage the district's funds.
"The whole area around Squamish is a park," McLennan added.
Ron Sander is in a similar boat. The current Oceanfront plans "scare me to death," said the general manager of construction and continuous improvements at North Van's Neptune Terminals.
"I don't want to up taxes," Sander said, adding it would drive business and residents out of town.
Douglas Neville shared concerns over the SODC's debt. It's a lot of money for such a small community, the owner of Squamish-based Coast Computers said. Besides the oceanfront bill, the district faces upcoming infrastructure costs, Neville added.
Council candidate Chris Wallace said he's in favour of the Oceanfront development, but is not in favour of handing over the prime land to condo developers. He added that he would like to see more long-term water-dependent uses in the Oceanfront plan.
When asked about public transportation in Squamish and the potential for commuter buses north and south, Balvinder Biring said Squamish residents need to help pressure the provincial government for money to run the service. Job creation is one of his priorities and transit goes-hand-in-hand with that, the professional forester said.
With 42 per cent of Squamish's working population commuting to Vancouver or Whistler, transit can't be ignored, said Mike Jenson, who was a councillor from 2005 to 2008. As the community grows, the district and B.C. Transit need to sit down and talk about managing it, the former Squamish Credit Union employee said.
Transit should be viewed as infrastructure, said Peter Kent. Local transit needs to be more affective, the movie stuntman said. Along a similar train of thought, Ted Prior said an efficient transportation system is an important amenity, just like the swimming pool and ice rink.
The District of Squamish has a surplus, Debra McBride noted. The Squamish estuary advocate and council hopeful said the district should dig into those funds to keep bus wheels turning.
Isn't not that simple, noted council hopeful Eric Andersen. Like the current council, he said he doesn't like the thought of subsidizing a Whistler commuter bus on behalf of Whistler businesses. What the Sea to Sky Corridor lacks is a regional forum for transit, Andersen added.
Whomever is elected needs to be able to work with a team, former accountant Sarah Braebrook said, adding that it's an important component to decision making.
That said, Squamish needs to get past its old-versus-new complex, council candidate Brad Hodge said.
"There is only one Squamish," said the owner of an information technology business, who lives in co-op housing in Brackendale.
Squamish has amazing opportunities for growth council needs to seize, said Nate Dolha, a business analyst for TSI, Canada's largest container terminal operator. But once those opportunities come to town, the conversation has to change, he said.
"Let's see what's in it for our community," Dolha said.
If Squamish residents want to see change, it's time to make change, council candidate Rob Weys said.
"This [coming] council, if any council, is a pivotal council," the owner of Squamish-based Haymack Autoglass said. "If you want to see something different vote for a new council."
General voting day for the municipal and school board election is next Saturday, Nov. 19.
