Running for council, at large.

With me running for Lake country council my focus will be on sensible decision making, fiscal responsibility and preserving the natural beauty and character that makes Lake country a wonderful place to live and raise a family.

Through sustainable development guided by council, fiscal prudence, and honest consultation with the community, I want to help protect the needs and character of our small community as we grow — not just in the short term, but for generations to come.

Having grown up in Lake Country, I have seen the incredible transformations from the 1980s through to today.

I want to continue to offer my perspective on issues. I want to keep showing up for this amazing community that welcomed me and my family with open arms.

Asked Lake Country businesses often struggle to recruit and retain employees because of housing costs and availability. What actions would you support to increase attainable workforce housing?

Before approving a building application the developer would have to agree to provide a certain percentage of the units at a lower rate.

Asked Lake Country businesses often struggle to recruit and retain employees because of housing costs and availability. What actions would you support to increase attainable workforce housing?

I support attainable housing and growth for Lake Country, but it has to be paired with the infrastructure to actually support it, not approved on faith that we'll catch up later. I want council to slow down and get the sequencing right: infrastructure capacity planned and funded alongside new housing, not playing catch-up after the fact.

Asked Lake Country businesses often struggle to recruit and retain employees because of housing costs and availability. What actions would you support to increase attainable workforce housing?

I will continue to advocate for housing diversity. We need to have a place for people to start and a place for people to end, and everything in between.

Asked Lake Country businesses often struggle to recruit and retain employees because of housing costs and availability. What actions would you support to increase attainable workforce housing?

Due to low housing development over the course of many years, we’ve fallen substantially behind. However, over the past few years, Lake Country has approved a number of building projects aimed at increasing rentals and what’s called, the missing middle (more attainable priced homes).

Asked What is the most important topic that needs to be dealt with in Lake Country and how would you go about dealing with it?

Once our spending is in check, we can afford the real work of fixing our infrastructure, not just patching it.

My primary focus is on obtaining clean drinking water via a water treatment plant. This has been in the works for more years than most people realize and I think with our current trajectory and relationships with senior levels of government, we can finally make it happen.

Advocate for initiatives to support community safety, stability and improvements to infrastructure.

Asked How would you control municipal spending and keep commercial property taxes, business-licensing costs and other municipal fees affordable?

First of all stop borrowing money and cut funding to certain attractions.

Asked How would you control municipal spending and keep commercial property taxes, business-licensing costs and other municipal fees affordable?

Right now, any purchase under $15,000 falls under "Direct Award" meaning no competitive quotes are required, and staff can choose whichever supplier they prefer at whatever price is offered. I want to lower that threshold to a number that actually makes sense in today's economy.

Asked How would you control municipal spending and keep commercial property taxes, business-licensing costs and other municipal fees affordable?

I think the most important thing is that the budget review process is not diminished and that it remains a line by line process over several meetings. It's the only way council can keep tabs on every dollar spent.

Asked What is the most important topic that needs to be dealt with in Lake Country and how would you go about dealing with it?

When people ask what Lake Country needs most, my answer is a more diversified tax base. Too much of the load sits on residential property owners, which makes it harder to fund what residents care about, like sidewalks, safer roads, and the infrastructure that keeps a growing community connected.

Asked How would you address traffic congestion, parking limitations and transportation challenges affecting employees, customers and commercial deliveries?

Improve on our infrastructure so there are options for ppl to have instead of one direction.

Asked How would you address traffic congestion, parking limitations and transportation challenges affecting employees, customers and commercial deliveries?

I want to work with the different levels of government and stakeholders involved to finally open the access from Commonwealth to the Jim Bailey industrial park. By routing commercial traffic away from the centre of town, we can reduce regular traffic into Lake Country and shift longer, slower, heavier traffic into the industrial park, where it's mostly headed anyway.

Improved road networks to relieve our problem areas with traffic. This includes Beaver Lake Rd and Glenmore Rd. We have made great strides towards this in this past council term and I believe we are close to making a meaningful difference here.

Asked How would you address traffic congestion, parking limitations and transportation challenges affecting employees, customers and commercial deliveries?

Ensuring that adequate parking is available and the flow makes sense. This is done through traffic reports and deep analysis on traffic flow in development plans.

Asked What is your plan to attract new businesses and investment while also supporting established locally owned businesses?

To attract new businesses we need to make it attractive for them to set up shop. Lower the prices of business licensing and a possible tax break for the first 3 yrs that they are here.

Asked What specific changes would you support to make building permits, development applications, inspections and business approvals faster and more predictable?

I would investigate the steps city staff take to process and approve permits, applications, inspections, and approvals. By identifying unintended bottlenecks in the system, we can work to streamline the process.

Asked What are the three most important actions the District should take to support the growth and success of local businesses?

Time is money and people cannot afford to sit around waiting for the District to process permit applications for construction, renovations, or otherwise. We have to set clear expectations and follow through with clear communication.

Asked What is your plan to attract new businesses and investment while also supporting established locally owned businesses?

I would like to create an informal small business committee that gathers quarterly to discuss their issues and what we can do to help, including utilizing tourism to promote our businesses.

Asked What steps would you support to improve public safety, cleanliness and security in Lake Country’s commercial areas?

I would want to add more Security lighting

Asked What steps would you support to improve public safety, cleanliness and security in Lake Country’s commercial areas?

I would support increasing bylaw patrols to keep illegal dumping, parking violations, and vandalism to a minimum.

Asked What steps would you support to improve public safety, cleanliness and security in Lake Country’s commercial areas?

That said, things can change in a blink so I think maintaining our stellar relationship with our local RCMP and keeping those communication lines open and friendly goes a long way.

Asked What steps would you support to improve public safety, cleanliness and security in Lake Country’s commercial areas?

The goal is to evolve into 24-hour police coverage which will help ensure potential threats are kept to a minimum as the commercial developments are built out.

Asked How would you ensure businesses receive adequate notice and meaningful consultation before roadwork, construction or other municipal projects disrupt access, parking or customer traffic?

I would want to see a district of lake country employee visit the businesses affect and give them a verbal heads up. Notifications through the mail and on the districts website.

Asked How would you ensure businesses receive adequate notice and meaningful consultation before roadwork, construction or other municipal projects disrupt access, parking or customer traffic?

Any project that's deemed to cause disruption to our neighbours and business partners needs to be communicated clearly and well in advance of work starting.

Mayor and Council have a responsibility to ensure that there is meaningful public engagement for ALL of the major plans – especially the Official Community Plan.

Asked How would you ensure businesses receive adequate notice and meaningful consultation before roadwork, construction or other municipal projects disrupt access, parking or customer traffic?

Within the development portal, we should be showing projects with their start and completion dates. In addition, emails to all affected businesses with updates on the project’s progress and timelines will ensure businesses are able to plan accordingly and communicate with their clients.