Making Golden more attractive to new residents and businesses.

I was attracted to Golden by the sheer magnificence of the mountains, the natural beauty of the valley, and the abundance of outdoor activities. I enjoy driving the windy road through the canyon, but am aware that most people do not. To made Golden more attractive, I would advocate strongly for the completion of HWY1 through the canyon.

Many fine facilities already make Golden attractive. Going forward, the challenge is to find the money to support these facilities without reducing the services that make Golden such a great place to live, and without astronomical increases in property taxes. 

At the end of my four year term as your Mayor, you can expect to see the following changes to attract new residents and businesses to Golden;

•  An Updated Official Community Plan reflecting and supporting both residential and commercial needs.
•  An Economic Development model that is effective and affordable.
• A new spirit of cooperation and a sense of partnership between Golden and Area A.
•  A strong financial position with adequate reserve funds based on long-term strategies and sound asset management principles.

I was always taught you should leave a place better than you found it. I will strive to do just that.

The opinions expressed in this blog are my personal opinions and my not represent the opinions of other Councillors nor the opinion of council.

Manage today's expenses and invest for the future.

Golden’s future starts today. We need to make sound financial decisions today that impact the future. We can manage today’s expenses and still invest for the future.

The Town of Golden needs leadership that can make difficult choices to resolve our financial deficit while supporting future plans. The 2013 deficit of $308,020 restricts our ability to undertake capital projects and/or build our capital reserve fund. Our first financial priority should be to eliminate the deficit and find innovative solutions to meet our capital infrastructure and community services needs. 

In the past 2-years, significant savings have already been made; restructuring the administration, eliminating GAI, funding Kicking Horse Culture and the swimming pool expenses from EOF Funding instead of taxpayers’ dollars, are steps in the right direction. 

Shared funding and service agreements provide solutions today—and pay dividends in the future: the New Building Canada Fund is a cost-share project that supports our infrastructure development, and the Shared Service Agreements with Area A on community services provide necessary steps to making responsible financial decisions today for tomorrow. 

Innovative solutions and sound decision-making are keys that I bring to Golden’s vision for financial sustainability.

Top Priorities if elected as your Mayor

Working on Town Council for 2 years, I have been a catalyst for constructive change to improve the direction of the community. I supported restructuring the administration and the promotion of Jon Wilsgard to CAO. I encouraged a 3-year commitment of EOF funds in support of Kicking Horse Culture, suggested EOF funds be used to cover  swimming pool expenses and supported EOF funding for Invest Kootenays. I have also found sources of revenue and savings that have reduced the deficit.

Each of these initiatives will continue to pay dividends for the future:

• Restructured  Town Hall administration has improved morale and resulted in significant savings;
• The balance sheet is stronger with lower long-term debt and property taxes are holding steady;
• Additional shared services are being negotiated between the Town and Area A;
• Invest Kootenays investment will support new entrepreneurs, business and investors interested in exploring economic opportunities in the region.

While these initiatives are creating a positive atmosphere in the community, this is only the beginning. As your Mayor, I will continue to work with other members of Council, Area A, and the Administration in order to build a foundation for today that supports the demands of tomorrow.

Over the next four years, my top priorities will be to negotiate a Shared Services Agreement with Area A, initiate the Official Community Plan review, develop Invest Kootenays for Golden, and achieve financial sustainability for Golden:  

• As Mayor, it will be my priority to build upon the progress made in 2014 and complete a comprehensive review of all the shared facilities and services;
• We need to ensure the OCP and Zoning Bylaws are reviewed regularly and updated to support residential and commercial needs and ongoing changes and challenges. This is the foundation to our continued growth and the Golden lifestyle;
• Under the umbrella of Invest Kootenays, a steering committee of volunteers would  bring together government, businesses, the Chamber, and individuals to guide our Economic Development
• We need to build our financial reserve funds based on long-term strategies and sound asset management principles. We need to grow our revenue by increasing the tax base, not the tax rates.

Through these measures, the Town of Golden will become more engaged with the community, more transparent, and more responsive to the community’s needs. This is the cornerstone of my approach to the role  of Mayor .

The opinions expressed in this blog are my personal opinions and may not be the opinions of other Councillors nor the opinion of council.