My goodness how time flies.
Here we are less than a month away from the official kick-off of another municipal election campaign.
In a community about to undergo an unprecedented transformation, this trip to the ballot box could have broader implications than any other previous election. With that thought in mind, here are a few suggestions for anyone seeking a council seat.
To be considered for municipal office you should have a firm grasp of key documents like the Official Community Plan, the 2014-2018 Financial Plan Report, and the Service Squamish Initiative. You should also have a proven track record of addressing the issues during public meetings, as well as in other forums, including print and online.
Forget about dangling the carrot of substantial tax cuts and feel-good promises about high-end job creation unless realistic strategies are submitted. Tell voters where you stand on the controversial Woodfibre LNG proposal and how you reached that conclusion. The Garibaldi at Squamish four season resort agenda could soon be back on the front burner. Get ready to explain your position on one of this community’s most contentious development proposals.
The current council and municipal staff support a range of service delivery options including public, private, and public-private partnerships. Candidates should present practical arguments to shore-up each of those alternatives. Be prepared to answer some key questions concerning governance and fiscal management. How can we curb the overreliance on delegation and deferral at muni hall and the associated tangle of committees and consultants?
The Squamish Oceanfront Development is now a done deal, but there are still serious concerns about a transaction that is thick on promises and thin on details. According to that agreement, the district will retain a 25 per cent interest in the SOD partnership and the potential to participate in future profits. What do those provisions actually mean? The district is in the process of finalizing a Marine Management Strategy document. What features should that plan have?
On a per capita basis, Squamish residents pay about 8 per cent more in taxes and user fees than the average British Columbian. How can that figure be reduced?
All of these questions and considerations point in the same direction: if you apply for this job, come to the table with all your ducks in a row. The days of candidates emerging out of the woodwork and showing up at civic gatherings to scatter a smattering of fuzzy election pixie dust are long behind us.
