How I help run the city
Good work starts
with listening.
I want staff to have room to do good work.
One reason I first ran for Council was that I wanted City staff to feel heard. People who know this town and do the work every day often see a problem, or a possible solution, long before it reaches the Council table.
Council sets direction and approves the budget. I want us to be clear about what we need, give staff room to use their experience, and come back to see how it is working. That takes trust as well as accountability.
I try to clear up questions early.
I read the reports and ask for clarification before the meeting when I can. I want meeting time to be useful, not spent untangling something I could have asked about earlier.
I sometimes use text-to-speech to listen to material while I’m doing other things. It has made me think about how City information could be easier for more people to take in, including through audio.
I look beyond the appealing headline.
I ask who benefits, who might be affected, how much a proposal costs and what alternatives we have. Outcomes matter to me, not just ideology or vague statements. I look at the staff time as well as the dollars, and at the work we would be postponing to make room. Some of the most challenging times are when the City faces challenges in areas that are not our core responsibility. If it impacts liveability, I am prepared to see what we can do, recognizing we still have core obligations. I am pleased when Staff and Council work together, find partners and get support from other levels of government. These are wins and they benefit everyone.
I bring experience in law, business and financial analysis. But experience is a starting point, not a reason to stop listening.
Times I changed my mind
After years of involvement with the Airport Authority, I was skeptical about bringing airport management in-house. I gave the model a chance. Seeing the progress staff made changed my view. I would rather learn from what is happening than defend my first position. After we received the staff report on the actual grants that would be given under our new policy for grants for the various larger cultural organizations, it was clear that there was an unanticipated result. A result that was not fair to one organization, so I chose to move for the restoration of the funding and asked staff to note that we needed to do further work on the policy.
I want a decision to lead somewhere.
The budget is where Council’s priorities become work that can actually happen. I want a clear next step, the resources to carry it out and a way to see whether it is helping.
Some improvements take years. I want steady direction without becoming stubborn. If new information changes the picture, I want us to say so and adjust.
I don’t need a perfect presentation.
I want to understand what is happening, where it happens and how it affects you. A specific example can tell me more than a form letter.
If you have a possible solution, I want to hear it. I also appreciate knowing what your neighbours think, what tradeoffs you see and whether you have a financial interest in the decision. That gives me a fuller picture.
I may not always reach the same conclusion you do. I will approach the conversation with an open mind.
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