It looks like there will be a mayoral race in Squamish this fall now that a former candidate from 2002 is "seriously considering" running for the position. So far, the only other candidate to announce his intention to run for the mayor's seat is Coun. Greg Gardner.Construction manager Ron Bahm, Sr. said he would like to lead council and tackle ongoing problems such as a lack of affordable housing and crime."It'll be all the little things that nobody does," he said. "Making sure that all our resources are here to get addicts into the flow of things, to help them get off drugs and get the support that they needand that goes hand-in-hand with the property crimes."Bahm has never held a role on council nor has he attended a council meeting. However, he said he follows council decisions online and sometimes watches the meetings on television.Having served as a supervisor since his 20s, he said he is accustomed to the procedure."It's no different than me as a construction superintendent having a staff meeting." During the 2002 election with three mayoral candidates, Bahm received 387 votes, falling behind Paul Lalli with 2,349 and winner Ian Sutherland with 2,919 votes. He said he would have more opportunity in this election to build a successful campaign."I didn't have the time to do the quality campaigning I needed," he said of his 2002 attempt. Now that he works in Squamish with Pelling Industries, he said he spends less time commuting, leaving him more time to focus on politics.In Bahm's last campaign, he embraced his newcomer status, offering to bring "new blood" to an often divided council."I don't owe anybody any favours," he said in a 2002 interview. "There's nothing affecting my judgment. I'm looking from the outside in and can see the bigger picture. The regular run of the mill approach won't work for us. It has to be enthusiastic and driven for the betterment of Squamish and its residents."At that time, he also showed an interest in more effectively tackling crime, supporting the reinstatement of a local courthouse.When asked at that time what council should do to increase tourism, he suggested creating a quality web page coupled with an aggressive ad campaign. Speaking about the future of forestry, he said that forestry is the town's history, adding that he sees industry continuing in a reduced capacity.These days, Bahm's focus includes a number of environmental issues.He said he would like to see a stronger recycling program in town. Community trails and green space also need better protection, he said, but not to the point that developers can no longer make a project profitable.As a member of the construction industry, he said he is not against the recent residential building boom, but said more district staff is needed to ensure projects are being adequately assessed on a timely basis. "It's a fine line," he said, between responsible and explosive development.He said he would also like to see more police officers patrolling at night, which ties into his interest in curbing crime.Bahm said it's also prudent for council to prepare for an aging population. He estimates that at some point in the future, over half the town's residents will be retired."If we overspend now, it's going to be dire financial straits then," he said.While he has not made a final decision on whether he will seek the mayor's seat, Bahm said he's getting ready to run."I'm getting all my ducks in a row and I've got to talk to some key people," he said.Mayor Ian Sutherland announced earlier this year that he would not seek another term as mayor. So far, Coun. Greg Gardner is the only person who has announced plans to run for the position.Like Bahm, Gardner has stated an interest in leading a more cohesive council. He has also said he would increase consultation with residents. "It's not enough in my opinion to hear once every three years at election time. It helps us makes decision based on what the community's desires are," Gardner said in an earlier interview. "And a lot of times we're prioritizing things, so we need to know what's important to the community and what's not so important."
