Today was a busy day-after the Mutt Strut, Maggie joined me and we went door to door in Heritage Hills. Many thanks to Maggie, and to all the people who chatted with me and encouraged my campaign.
The issues raised were diverse, but shared by most people in that new subdivision. First, every person who spoke to me was concerned for his or her safety when using the Highway 22 and Highway 1 intersection during rush hours. They also commented on the lack of connectivity with the Town as there is no pathway system that they can follow to get into the core-everyone must have a car.
It was interesting that the citizens said the development is wonderful and they deliberately chose their neighbourhood-they like the diversity of housing options. However, they want the developer to follow through with the amenities that they were promised. They do not want their residential community to become a commercial area. The noise and traffic from construction crews is also a nuisance, but they do understand that this will continue until full build out. I was surprised to hear that construction is allowed on Sundays and that crews start as early as 7:00 am. My understanding is that we do have a bylaw regarding work crew start up and the hours when construction noise is permitted. Here is the link to the Town's Noise Bylaw. Section 4.2 provides that "noise" is not permitted in the night. Night is the period from 10:00 pm to 8:30 am on a weekend.
http://www.cochrane.ca/municipal/toc/webcms.nsf/AllDoc/4D1FA8763B40896E872572A00079B4FE/$File/03-2007%20noise%20control.pdf?OpenElement
After dropping Maggie back home, I went back out on the campaign trial and ended up in West Valley. The issues raised there were the Highway 22 and Highway 1A intersection, and the lack of emergency access at Horse Creek Road. Two different families were excited about the possibility of serving as PALs-public at large representatives- on Town Boards and Committees. This was very refreshing news. As well, I had the opportunity to hear from some folks who want to learn more about sustainability. I will find the link to the town website where PAL positions are posted.
I moved into the Riverview area, and canvassed one neighbourhood before my feet told me to head for home-I think I have walked about 15 km today. No issues were raised, but I reconnected with some great supporters and that was a wonderful way to end the day.
More tomorrow. I'm on a roll....... May go back out after dinner.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
September 11, 2010
Last night I went door to door in east end Cochrane. Two interesting issues were raised:
1. The need for door to door recycling pick up; and
2. Concerns about the location of the so-called east end connector pathway from the Spray Lake Rec Centre to Dewey Blainey Park.
Door to door recycling pick up is currently handled by a private collection company, Cochrane Recyclers for a modest fee. Here is the link to their website:
http://www.cochranerecyclers.com/
I was able to pass on that information as well as let the new citizens who recently moved here know that all people in Cochrane can drop off their recycling at the depot. Here is the link to the town's recycling depot:
http://www.cochrane.ca/municipal/toc/webcms.nsf/AllDoc/E6B2A4C70DB629E3872576FE0075A1F9?OpenDocument
This is an interesting topic that has been discussed many times in the past by different councils. Certainly, it is an issue worth raising again. If recycling were to be picked up by the Town on the same day as garbage is picked up, then instead of every citizen making the trip to the depot, there would be one company dropping materials there. In that case, the depot would be required to sort the materials into bins, which is done right now by citizens when they drop off. On the other hand, think of the fuel emissions and fuel savings to the community if everyone is not driving their recycling to the depot in private vehicles. Which program would provide the most beneficial service to society overall? Would more citizens participate and therefore, remove more product from the waste stream and Calgary's landfill? Would the increase in landfill fees be offset by the increased saleable product?
The east end pathway connector is a plan the current council has to extend a pathway over the CPR tracks across from Carolina Drive. Citizens who live on both sides of Carolina Drive do not want a sidewalk extended from First Street in front of their homes. The reason stated adamantly is because the residents would lose their substantial landscaping, including 20 year old trees, and there simply is not sufficient room to accomodate a sidewalk on an already narrow street. The proposed neighbourhood solution is to run a pathway in the alleyway behind the homes on the east side of Carolina Drive. Other ideas include signage and letting people know that they can walk up that short distance of road and connect to the pathway in Dewey Blainey park. Certainly, that would be the cheapest and would have least impact on the existing neighbourhood, providing a reasonable solution for everyone involved.
A third issue raised was about getting involved in the community association. Many people are aware of the group and work that is going on to sustain the east end community. The citizens who talked to me all thanked Andy Marshall for his dedication to this community.
Overall, I was warmly received and had an opportunity to meet 12 new neighbours who have moved to town in the last year or so.
Today was the Mutt Strut! There were so many people out, with dogs of every breed and size. I want to comment on how much Jack Tennant does for this community, but especially for the Cochrane Humane Society. Jack is truly a sustainability ambassador and community builder.
1. The need for door to door recycling pick up; and
2. Concerns about the location of the so-called east end connector pathway from the Spray Lake Rec Centre to Dewey Blainey Park.
Door to door recycling pick up is currently handled by a private collection company, Cochrane Recyclers for a modest fee. Here is the link to their website:
http://www.cochranerecyclers.com/
I was able to pass on that information as well as let the new citizens who recently moved here know that all people in Cochrane can drop off their recycling at the depot. Here is the link to the town's recycling depot:
http://www.cochrane.ca/municipal/toc/webcms.nsf/AllDoc/E6B2A4C70DB629E3872576FE0075A1F9?OpenDocument
This is an interesting topic that has been discussed many times in the past by different councils. Certainly, it is an issue worth raising again. If recycling were to be picked up by the Town on the same day as garbage is picked up, then instead of every citizen making the trip to the depot, there would be one company dropping materials there. In that case, the depot would be required to sort the materials into bins, which is done right now by citizens when they drop off. On the other hand, think of the fuel emissions and fuel savings to the community if everyone is not driving their recycling to the depot in private vehicles. Which program would provide the most beneficial service to society overall? Would more citizens participate and therefore, remove more product from the waste stream and Calgary's landfill? Would the increase in landfill fees be offset by the increased saleable product?
The east end pathway connector is a plan the current council has to extend a pathway over the CPR tracks across from Carolina Drive. Citizens who live on both sides of Carolina Drive do not want a sidewalk extended from First Street in front of their homes. The reason stated adamantly is because the residents would lose their substantial landscaping, including 20 year old trees, and there simply is not sufficient room to accomodate a sidewalk on an already narrow street. The proposed neighbourhood solution is to run a pathway in the alleyway behind the homes on the east side of Carolina Drive. Other ideas include signage and letting people know that they can walk up that short distance of road and connect to the pathway in Dewey Blainey park. Certainly, that would be the cheapest and would have least impact on the existing neighbourhood, providing a reasonable solution for everyone involved.
A third issue raised was about getting involved in the community association. Many people are aware of the group and work that is going on to sustain the east end community. The citizens who talked to me all thanked Andy Marshall for his dedication to this community.
Overall, I was warmly received and had an opportunity to meet 12 new neighbours who have moved to town in the last year or so.
Today was the Mutt Strut! There were so many people out, with dogs of every breed and size. I want to comment on how much Jack Tennant does for this community, but especially for the Cochrane Humane Society. Jack is truly a sustainability ambassador and community builder.
Friday, September 10, 2010
What is a sustainability ambassador?
Some of you may know by now that I am a "sustainability ambassador" for the Cochrane Sustainability Plan. What that means is that I have committed to implementing the plan and to teaching others about the plan and asking them to make a similar commitment. This plan is a community plan, developed and being implemented by volunteer citizens like you and me. It is about making sure Cochrane will remain a vibrant and prosperous community in all the years to come because of our culture of responsibility and our willingness to collaborate and cooperate to make the Cochrane community the best it can be. This has nothing to do with Town Council, other than Council is a partner and has spearheaded the development of the plan. The Council does not own this plan-you do!
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting with two local businesses to walk them through the plan and request that they become "sustainability champions". Both businesses are already on the 13 pathways to sustainability and are involved in all aspects of implementation-they are already champions. What I discovered in both cases was that they just are not aware of the plan or what it means to them. It was an honour to be able to tell them more and engage these people into what is possible-how they can be identified champions of the process and move Cochrane forward as a sustainable community. I was able to show them how they are already leaders -they are already engaged and that this is about citizenship and having fun-celebrating our successes and learning from our trials. There is no financial commitment required-nothing required except a commitment to the plan!
One of my commitments as an ambassador is to ensure that everyone becomes more aware of how involved they are in citizenship activities and sustaining this community. The Activettes, the people who organize the Footstock, our arts community, the Spray Lakes Rec Centre people, the Humane Society, the organizers of the parade, the Lions, the Rotary, people who naturescape or donate to charities or attend community events, our wonderful volunteers etc. etc.-we have so many people involved at the ground level in community building that it is hard to know where to start.
This is not about environmental citizenship-it is about citizenship in every respect. It is about how we live, work and play in this community, and how we use and share resources, whether those are human resources, economic resources, cultural resources, environmental resources, etc.
The plan itself can be found online at:
http://cochranesustainability.ca/
Please read the plan and if you want to learn more, email me or call me and I will be there with the plan and time to walk you through it-to listen and teach and assure you that your contributions have not gone unnoticed.
Everyone who reads this blog is actively engaged in Pathway 1. Everyone who takes time to read the plan is actively engaged as a Sustainability Citizen-without doing one more thing!
I encourage you to be involved-every day. Start each day knowing you can do better-because, you can!
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting with two local businesses to walk them through the plan and request that they become "sustainability champions". Both businesses are already on the 13 pathways to sustainability and are involved in all aspects of implementation-they are already champions. What I discovered in both cases was that they just are not aware of the plan or what it means to them. It was an honour to be able to tell them more and engage these people into what is possible-how they can be identified champions of the process and move Cochrane forward as a sustainable community. I was able to show them how they are already leaders -they are already engaged and that this is about citizenship and having fun-celebrating our successes and learning from our trials. There is no financial commitment required-nothing required except a commitment to the plan!
One of my commitments as an ambassador is to ensure that everyone becomes more aware of how involved they are in citizenship activities and sustaining this community. The Activettes, the people who organize the Footstock, our arts community, the Spray Lakes Rec Centre people, the Humane Society, the organizers of the parade, the Lions, the Rotary, people who naturescape or donate to charities or attend community events, our wonderful volunteers etc. etc.-we have so many people involved at the ground level in community building that it is hard to know where to start.
This is not about environmental citizenship-it is about citizenship in every respect. It is about how we live, work and play in this community, and how we use and share resources, whether those are human resources, economic resources, cultural resources, environmental resources, etc.
The plan itself can be found online at:
http://cochranesustainability.ca/
Please read the plan and if you want to learn more, email me or call me and I will be there with the plan and time to walk you through it-to listen and teach and assure you that your contributions have not gone unnoticed.
Everyone who reads this blog is actively engaged in Pathway 1. Everyone who takes time to read the plan is actively engaged as a Sustainability Citizen-without doing one more thing!
I encourage you to be involved-every day. Start each day knowing you can do better-because, you can!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Providing needed facilities and infrastructure
Although this may seem like an obvious commitment, a council must purposefully determine what "services, facilities or other things are necessary or desirable for all or part of the municipality". In fact, providing these services or facilities is one of three purposes of having municipal corporations in place, according to law. This is a core purpose and function of the municipal corporation. These services and facilities are not luxuries, they are deemed necessary to support the quality of life of the citizens who live here.
I have been teased in the past for stressing how crucial this aspect of governance is to sustaining a viable community. People say, everyone knows that! But, at budget time when councillors sit to deliberate about which services and facilities can be provided in the short, medium and long term given revenues and expenses, confusion and angst over what to fund is common. No interest group likes to be told that their pet project is not a council priority. No one likes to be told to wait until a plan is finished or a funding proposal complete. I know I don't.
There are a number of needed services and facilities that I would like to get done in the next three years. Some I would like to start, some to get underway and some to finish. Our staff are already involved in day to day activities to provide us with good community services such as policing, water, garbage collection, etc. The list of services or facilities I would like to see completed is provided below:
To start and finish-short term 1-2 years
Secure water supply for full build out
Highway 22/Highway 1A intersection
Downtown public washrooms
Performing arts centre
Public transit service to Calgary
Lights at Centre Ave and Highway 1A
Seniors centre
Taxation policy
Wetland and riparian land conservation and management implementation plan
Comprehensive bylaw/ bylaw enforcement review
Comprehensive consultant recruitment and RFP process review
Implementation of Cochrane Sustainability Plan
Review statutory plans for consistency with Land Use Framework and regional plans
Revised storm drainage management plans-introduce low impact development/naturescaping/xeriscaping/green roof technology on commercial buildings
Investigate use of geothermal energy in large commercial industrial and multi family or institutional buildings
Volunteer recognition program
Revitalize the area around the Men of Vision statue/build a proper pathway
Get started- 1-3 year project
Pool (with therapy)
Public transit internal
Review of middle managment team/ Sustainability Plan
Implementation of low impact development strategies and technologies
Water conservation review and implement tax incentives/technologies
Review election process and requirements to prove residency
Long term-ongoing
Public consultation process to understand shared community values
Comprehensive riverside natural conservation areas and parks
Integrated water and land conservation and management plans
Cumulative effects management of land base
Improved communication tools and outreach to all sectors
Sometimes studies are required to ensure that projects are needed and can be accomodated within municipal budget. Sometimes studies help council to prioritize which projects can be done quickly and which projects require more sources of income or design considerations. For many of the projects listed above, I think we have had too many studies and too little action over the last ten years. Time to get them done. For example, the idea of public washrooms downtown was suggested every budget year that I served on council, and I understand that this year we may actually get them. This is an item that the downtown business community has asked for every single year.
I would be happy to know what you think are priority services or projects that we need to put in place over the next three years. Your priorities are my priorities.
I have been teased in the past for stressing how crucial this aspect of governance is to sustaining a viable community. People say, everyone knows that! But, at budget time when councillors sit to deliberate about which services and facilities can be provided in the short, medium and long term given revenues and expenses, confusion and angst over what to fund is common. No interest group likes to be told that their pet project is not a council priority. No one likes to be told to wait until a plan is finished or a funding proposal complete. I know I don't.
There are a number of needed services and facilities that I would like to get done in the next three years. Some I would like to start, some to get underway and some to finish. Our staff are already involved in day to day activities to provide us with good community services such as policing, water, garbage collection, etc. The list of services or facilities I would like to see completed is provided below:
To start and finish-short term 1-2 years
Secure water supply for full build out
Highway 22/Highway 1A intersection
Downtown public washrooms
Performing arts centre
Public transit service to Calgary
Lights at Centre Ave and Highway 1A
Seniors centre
Taxation policy
Wetland and riparian land conservation and management implementation plan
Comprehensive bylaw/ bylaw enforcement review
Comprehensive consultant recruitment and RFP process review
Implementation of Cochrane Sustainability Plan
Review statutory plans for consistency with Land Use Framework and regional plans
Revised storm drainage management plans-introduce low impact development/naturescaping/xeriscaping/green roof technology on commercial buildings
Investigate use of geothermal energy in large commercial industrial and multi family or institutional buildings
Volunteer recognition program
Revitalize the area around the Men of Vision statue/build a proper pathway
Get started- 1-3 year project
Pool (with therapy)
Public transit internal
Review of middle managment team/ Sustainability Plan
Implementation of low impact development strategies and technologies
Water conservation review and implement tax incentives/technologies
Review election process and requirements to prove residency
Long term-ongoing
Public consultation process to understand shared community values
Comprehensive riverside natural conservation areas and parks
Integrated water and land conservation and management plans
Cumulative effects management of land base
Improved communication tools and outreach to all sectors
Sometimes studies are required to ensure that projects are needed and can be accomodated within municipal budget. Sometimes studies help council to prioritize which projects can be done quickly and which projects require more sources of income or design considerations. For many of the projects listed above, I think we have had too many studies and too little action over the last ten years. Time to get them done. For example, the idea of public washrooms downtown was suggested every budget year that I served on council, and I understand that this year we may actually get them. This is an item that the downtown business community has asked for every single year.
I would be happy to know what you think are priority services or projects that we need to put in place over the next three years. Your priorities are my priorities.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Upcoming Events
Next Saturday, I will be walking Ace in the Mutt Strut as part of The Animal Oasis Team. This event raises funds for the Cochrane Humane Society, and The Animal Oasis is a great company from Calgary that is participating this year. The strut starts at Mitford Park. You can learn more on the society's website.
Sunday, September 19, I will be volunteering and participating at the Terry Fox Run. I have not missed this event since it started in Cochrane, and I used to be the organizer. The run starts at the Spray Lake Sawmills Rec Centre at 1:00 but there is a registration so come early. I look forward to seeing all my friends there.
Both events enable sponsorship, so that people who want to contribute can donate through my pledge sheet. I am always looking for sponsorship, so let me know.
Tomorrow, when I get back from my Calgary Region Airshed Zone meeting, I will discuss developing facilities and infrastructure and what I am committed to doing if elected. Keep following along with me. Many thanks to all the well-wishers I met today along the Parade Route-that was great!
Sunday, September 19, I will be volunteering and participating at the Terry Fox Run. I have not missed this event since it started in Cochrane, and I used to be the organizer. The run starts at the Spray Lake Sawmills Rec Centre at 1:00 but there is a registration so come early. I look forward to seeing all my friends there.
Both events enable sponsorship, so that people who want to contribute can donate through my pledge sheet. I am always looking for sponsorship, so let me know.
Tomorrow, when I get back from my Calgary Region Airshed Zone meeting, I will discuss developing facilities and infrastructure and what I am committed to doing if elected. Keep following along with me. Many thanks to all the well-wishers I met today along the Parade Route-that was great!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
New Innovative Taxation Policy
Does it ever seem to you that taxes assessed on the "market value" of your home or business property are very strange sources of stable municipal revenue? This system of "property tax revenue" was instituted by the government of Alberta several years ago. Your property taxes collected under this system are not used only for municipal facilities and services, but also for school facilities and services.
Many citizens don't really understand "market value", and I would like to ensure that people who are required to pay property taxes do understand the terminology and reason for property taxes and how they are assessed and levied. This is an important aspect of a new taxation policy for Cochrane. It is not good enough just to provide citizens with a pie chart and a questionnaire at budget time or just before the tax rate is set: the corporation needs to provide educational opportunities for citizens to engage in dialogue and learn more about taxation. Education of citizens is just one, but a crucial, aspect of the taxation policy I propose.
The market value of residential and business property rises and falls over time. Canadians, Albertans and Cochranites are all in a "real estate bubble" wherein market value of our properties may fall in the near future if our economy cannot sustain the high property values we currently enjoy. If our total market value assessment falls in Cochrane, then the tax rate that is applied against the total market value assessment will need to increase to ensure that there are sufficient funds to run the municipal corporation and provide you with all the services and facilities you want and need to sustain your quality of life. The business community is also affected by fluctuating market value assessments and it becomes difficult to predict what tax increases will affect business profit margins each year.
The annual market value assessment is based on what the market value of your property was in June of the preceding year. This year, in June, the property values were relatively stable. However, next June when the new tax rate is applied to that market value assessment, property values may have fallen. The appraised market value is therefore never a true indication of your property's market value in the year it is applied against the tax rate-it reflects the previous year's value. People are confused by this.
I often wonder if Cochrane has explored the many mechanisms available and variety of economic instruments that could be used to ensure stable revenues to achieve council objectives. While user fees have increased substantially lately, few people realize that there have been increases, and fewer still understand why user fees are applied at all. What I hear going door to door is that people want less taxes and less utility rate increases-not more. Mostly, they want to understand why some people pay more taxes than others. People want to understand the difference between a base rate on their water bills and a consumption rate.
Tax incentives are also a good mechanism to achieve Council objectives. Council needs to plan for and explore tax incentives for encouraging citizens to engage in many activities and contribute to development of community programs and facilities. For example, the Cochrane Sustainability Plan provides that "water is our most precious resource" and demonstrates pathways to realize this lofty goal. Council could encourage respectful use of water through tax incentives-we do not need to have sky-rocketing water bills to achieve this stated objective. For example, naturescaping is a perfectly fine alternative to cookie -cutter lawns and gardens that use thirsty ornamentals. If the municiplaity encouraged naturescaping in all new developments, as per the Town Land Use Bylaw, then indigenous plants and materials would be used that require little or no irrigation. As of today, the Town does not even implement its own "landscaping" provisions in the land use bylaw.
I will be coming back to taxation policy over the course of the campaign as people ask me questions and direct my attention to their concerns about taxes. Stay with me over time, and I know you will find taxation policy a needed and innovative concept that might improve how the municipality engages citizens and does better business. Perhaps the most important aspect of the taxation policy I propose is that it be "deliberate", where everything is planned and determined throught collaboration and open public debate and dialogue with interested citizens.
One thing is sure, I will be opposed to any suggestion or agenda item brought forward where councillors or the mayor want a salary increase during the next three year term of office. There is absolutely no justification for a group of candidates to ask you to vote for them, based on what the municipality can afford to provide for councillor services, and then as soon as elected, ask for more money to do the job. The current salaries and job descriptions are posted on the Town's website-those are the salaries that candidates can expect to receive for the services they provide to you as members of council, and if it seems insufficient, then they simply should not apply for the job! Enough is enough!
Many citizens don't really understand "market value", and I would like to ensure that people who are required to pay property taxes do understand the terminology and reason for property taxes and how they are assessed and levied. This is an important aspect of a new taxation policy for Cochrane. It is not good enough just to provide citizens with a pie chart and a questionnaire at budget time or just before the tax rate is set: the corporation needs to provide educational opportunities for citizens to engage in dialogue and learn more about taxation. Education of citizens is just one, but a crucial, aspect of the taxation policy I propose.
The market value of residential and business property rises and falls over time. Canadians, Albertans and Cochranites are all in a "real estate bubble" wherein market value of our properties may fall in the near future if our economy cannot sustain the high property values we currently enjoy. If our total market value assessment falls in Cochrane, then the tax rate that is applied against the total market value assessment will need to increase to ensure that there are sufficient funds to run the municipal corporation and provide you with all the services and facilities you want and need to sustain your quality of life. The business community is also affected by fluctuating market value assessments and it becomes difficult to predict what tax increases will affect business profit margins each year.
The annual market value assessment is based on what the market value of your property was in June of the preceding year. This year, in June, the property values were relatively stable. However, next June when the new tax rate is applied to that market value assessment, property values may have fallen. The appraised market value is therefore never a true indication of your property's market value in the year it is applied against the tax rate-it reflects the previous year's value. People are confused by this.
I often wonder if Cochrane has explored the many mechanisms available and variety of economic instruments that could be used to ensure stable revenues to achieve council objectives. While user fees have increased substantially lately, few people realize that there have been increases, and fewer still understand why user fees are applied at all. What I hear going door to door is that people want less taxes and less utility rate increases-not more. Mostly, they want to understand why some people pay more taxes than others. People want to understand the difference between a base rate on their water bills and a consumption rate.
Tax incentives are also a good mechanism to achieve Council objectives. Council needs to plan for and explore tax incentives for encouraging citizens to engage in many activities and contribute to development of community programs and facilities. For example, the Cochrane Sustainability Plan provides that "water is our most precious resource" and demonstrates pathways to realize this lofty goal. Council could encourage respectful use of water through tax incentives-we do not need to have sky-rocketing water bills to achieve this stated objective. For example, naturescaping is a perfectly fine alternative to cookie -cutter lawns and gardens that use thirsty ornamentals. If the municiplaity encouraged naturescaping in all new developments, as per the Town Land Use Bylaw, then indigenous plants and materials would be used that require little or no irrigation. As of today, the Town does not even implement its own "landscaping" provisions in the land use bylaw.
I will be coming back to taxation policy over the course of the campaign as people ask me questions and direct my attention to their concerns about taxes. Stay with me over time, and I know you will find taxation policy a needed and innovative concept that might improve how the municipality engages citizens and does better business. Perhaps the most important aspect of the taxation policy I propose is that it be "deliberate", where everything is planned and determined throught collaboration and open public debate and dialogue with interested citizens.
One thing is sure, I will be opposed to any suggestion or agenda item brought forward where councillors or the mayor want a salary increase during the next three year term of office. There is absolutely no justification for a group of candidates to ask you to vote for them, based on what the municipality can afford to provide for councillor services, and then as soon as elected, ask for more money to do the job. The current salaries and job descriptions are posted on the Town's website-those are the salaries that candidates can expect to receive for the services they provide to you as members of council, and if it seems insufficient, then they simply should not apply for the job! Enough is enough!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Key Messages
There are five key elements of my campaign platform. I will list the key elements here, and then each one will be explained in detail over the next few days.
There are two umbrella statements that frame my campaign:
1. Cochrane can do better! As my community of choice, it is worth my investment of time and energy to serve on Council.
2. The Cochrane Sustainability Plan needs to be implemented across all sectors of our community. It is not good enough to roll out a community plan that shows how we are dots within Cochrane's urban landscape-Council must provide leadership and demonstrate how the dots are all connected.
The five key elements of my campaignare listed below.
I am committed to and will work to achieve:
1. A new innovative taxation policy;
2. Providing needed facilities and infrastructure;
3. Up front public participation in planning;
4. Research and understanding, staff training and development; and
5. Sustaining community assets for future prosperity.
I am not a rubber stamp. I am an independent thinker, and research extensively before making decisions that may affect the quality of life of people in Cochrane. Your opinions count.
There are two umbrella statements that frame my campaign:
1. Cochrane can do better! As my community of choice, it is worth my investment of time and energy to serve on Council.
2. The Cochrane Sustainability Plan needs to be implemented across all sectors of our community. It is not good enough to roll out a community plan that shows how we are dots within Cochrane's urban landscape-Council must provide leadership and demonstrate how the dots are all connected.
The five key elements of my campaignare listed below.
I am committed to and will work to achieve:
1. A new innovative taxation policy;
2. Providing needed facilities and infrastructure;
3. Up front public participation in planning;
4. Research and understanding, staff training and development; and
5. Sustaining community assets for future prosperity.
I am not a rubber stamp. I am an independent thinker, and research extensively before making decisions that may affect the quality of life of people in Cochrane. Your opinions count.
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