Every Kaslo candidate, the same two questions

Erika Bird

Would start with

"Plan ahead instead of just reacting." Councillors need more lead time to consider some of the recommendations brought forward by staff. If you're a councillor, you will see the agenda for the upcoming meeting on the same day as the public does – Friday evening before the Tuesday meeting day. As mayor, I'd request an additional agenda-setting meeting with the CAO a week prior to the last Friday, and I would invite whichever councillor was designated as alternate mayor for the period to join. From that meeting, a rough idea of what is coming up in a week and a half could be shared with the other councillors. That gives enough time for councillors, if they wish, to consult with affected parties, or to weigh the issues against their own values and knowledge of the subject.

Disagrees with

All of the "fixes" mentioned have merit, but the one that I see as most cumbersome to implement is "Make reporting work for the people." Right now, we are very lucky that the Valley Voice covers all of our meetings. It's an accessible way for everyone to know what's been discussed and decided at the Council table. Simplifying staff reports into a table risks losing nuance, and it would be published how? Not everyone is online, or if they are, will be checking in regularly. Also, staff time is crunched as it is. One option I can see that might help to increase transparency is to find out if individual councillors, on a rotating basis, would like to summarize the month's Council work in a newsletter format that residents could subscribe to by email.

Anything else

There is a line in our Official Community Plan that I think of often. It's in the vision statement in the introduction: "The village harnesses the knowledge and creativity of its citizens to ensure that challenges, including food security, shelter, a safe water supply, climate change, and economic sustainability, are met with confidence and enthusiasm."

There are some fundamental opportunities we have to get right, and these preoccupy me. Our lack of capacity to make big things happen is partly a matter of perception. We need new ways of thinking about how we can work together – Council, staff and residents – to achieve our goal of creating a community where everybody has a place. We can meet future challenges with confidence and enthusiasm, as long as we find a way to harness the knowledge and creativity of Council, Village staff and our citizens.

Suzan Hewat

Would start with

I would start with Number 6. Council adopted the new communications policy early in the year with the understanding that we would use it for a while then discuss what was working or not working. We have done that and there have been some parts of the policy that aren't working for council and the public.

Disagrees with

I disagree with number 3 as it is worded. The structure and function of local government is per the Community Charter. This legislation would need to be changed in order to implement the changes being outlined. With the regional seat, rotating is impractical. The business conducted at the table can be complicated and it needs continuity in the representative to be able to adequately represent the interests of the Village.

Anything else

We already engage the groups listed in number 7 in committee work as opportunities arise and their capacity allows.

Sarah Sinclair

Would start with

I would start with meaningful community engagement, supported by clearer communication. Residents need to feel heard and valued, not just consulted when a decision is nearly finished. A simple, public way to track questions, share plain-language reports, and invite conversations would help people understand what's happening without needing a degree in municipal archaeology and unlimited spare evenings. I'd also work to strengthen the role of our community groups, because they are amazing and already doing much of the work that makes Kaslo thrive. Better collaboration between the Village, residents, and local organizations could create some wonderfully positive domino effects.

Disagrees with

I don't disagree with any of the seven fixes. They are connected, and several could be addressed together. My priority would be practical, measurable progress rather than trying to do everything at once. Good governance is a team sport, and Kaslo already has many talented teammates.

Anything else

Thank you :)

John Rasmussen

Would start with

Other than #3, which I answered below, each and every one of these deals with communication and collaboration. This is, I feel, the #1 priority for our community. Keeping everyone as up-to-date as possible while also relying on the strengths of every person or organization to contribute to the needs of Kaslo. So much work has been done by so many non-profits, let's rely on their expertise when looking at community issues.

Disagrees with

The fix that I feel needs the most tweaking is #3 Share the load at the top. Although it may sound like a great idea, I think that mentoring would be a better approach. Let someone who already chairs a committee allow themselves to be shadowed and mentor someone else to take over. This is what a good succession plan looks like and this is what we need a plan for the future to ensure that the village will continue to be well governed.

Molly Leathwood

Would start with

I would start with #4. I feel that in an attempt to streamline how we receive communication we have made it harder. People want to feel they are being heard and in my opinion our new policy does not do that. People are unsure where their letters end up and unsure whether they are being read by the decision makers. I also feel that we need to find a better way to deal with controversial issues. Go one step farther to be able to hear and respond to public input.

Disagrees with

I disagree with #7. We try to support Non-profits as best we can. Our Permissive Tax Exemption list is huge and the tax payers of Kaslo support the portion that is not exempt that we pay to the province. We are trying to come up with equitable ways with our leases to keep them low while still making sure that the village's administrative costs are covered. Our taxes only go so far. We have grants in aid available for organizations to help in paying user fees for events but we do have a process to ensure events are run properly and with protections for the tax payer.

Anything else

Communication is always a double-edged sword. Continuing to find ways to better communicate is ongoing and important especially in a changing world, but there is also a responsibility on the part of the citizen to read the information we do put out and inform themselves.

Rick Nay

Would start with

I would begin with making reporting work for the people. During this campaign, there have been a lot of comments about transparency and things of that nature, in most cases people don't even have a real agreement as to what transparency looks like. It seems transparent for one but not at all for another. As an example, not everyone gets their news or their information the same way. I'm a perfect example. I never had Facebook until I decided to run for council, but it was necessary in order for me to access the Kaslo community webpage. I had the ability to do that, but not everybody necessarily would, for example if they didn't have access to a computer. I believe that if we're going to get the best from our community and the support that we need to move forward, we have to find a way to make reporting work for the people. This very well could mean utilizing a number of different ways to communicate everything from Facebook to the Kaslo webpage to possibly printing out items and making them readily available in public spaces. Anything that we can do to get the information to everybody who needs it, I don't believe there's any such thing as over communicating.

Disagrees with

I actually believe that all seven fixes have merit. That being said, I believe that the one that needs the least attention is giving new councillors a map. From my perspective, a council that has a balance of members that have some experience combined with members with less experience, allows there to be fresh eyes on subjects while at the same time, allowing for continuity. It gives the councillors with experience an opportunity to mentor or help support those that are newly elected and maybe don't have as much experience.

Anything else

I would just like to say that I really appreciate the opportunity that everyone has given us to get our beliefs across during this campaign. It personally gives me hope for the future when I see the number of agencies that are willing to take the time to set up these options.

Jim Holland

Would start with

ONE - Easy, write a version of the Procedures Bylaw in plain language.
TWO - Fairly easy. Actually schedule Standing Committee Meetings and add Public Time for questions.

Disagrees with

THREE - Don't specifically disagree. The Mayor as Chair is privy to way more information on going than the rest of Council and passing that over every two weeks between 5 people is a recipe for miscommunication and dropped information. Also staff would have greatly increased pressure to continually update files with individuals. There would have to be a lot more education on the mechanics of this.
FOUR - A monthly open community session would be useful when there is contentious issues, maybe there should be a mechanism for public to request that meeting on an as needed basis.
FIVE - Not clear on what or exactly how this works, usually the complaint is that governments move at the speed of a glacier (well, maybe not anymore).
SIX - offers a problem, but no suggested alternative mechanism.
SEVEN - yep, maybe this is addressed in TWO.

Donna Cormie

No response received by October 1.

Linden Gibbons

Response

Our community is full of people and organizations with a wealth of knowledge and experience, by working together we have the tools to address many of the challenges facing us. To do so, we need to improve our lines of communication, and support one another.

We might also look beyond our village to other municipalities facing similar challenges to find solutions.

MerryJill Milne

Would start with

4. Make reporting work for the people. Yes.

I sat through many meetings in the Council Chambers, two rows of chairs lined against the west wall and multiple faces on Zoom projected overhead when South Beach was on the agenda. Frustration was thick; there was never enough time for all those who came with something to share.

I propose a monthly open house meeting, say on the last Thursday of each month. The meeting would have a two-hour window, for example, 6:30-8:30 pm, chaired by a member of council, rotating if possible. These meetings could be informative, with enough time to hear what transpired in the bi-monthly meetings and a platform for citizens to share in a more relaxed, comfortable, and casual setting.

Disagrees with

3. Share the load at the top. No.

This is my first time running for a municipal council position. A hierarchy exists within the municipal council at City Hall, consistent throughout BC and Canada. Responsibilities and remuneration are built on this structure. If I am elected, I will honour the established rules. I recognize there are more mayoral tasks than chairing and writing the agenda. I am learning lots and looking forward to much more to come.

Matthew Brown

Would start with

I would start with supporting the people already doing the work. Non-profits and community groups have built Kaslo over generations. The sheer volume of volunteerism defines our community identity. Kaslo brings out the best in people, which is nowhere clearer than in the work of these groups. However, I am worried that communication between the village and our community groups is degrading. Municipal government is at its best when supporting, advocating for, and championing these organizations. Collaboration—with the community leading—yields better, more informed outcomes. When reviewing lease negotiations, user agreements, or plans affecting our community groups, we must ensure meaningful conversation before decisions are made. A truly collaborative approach saves legislative time. It ensures that whatever hits the council table reflects a genuine conversation, not just a negotiation, with these foundational groups. When we improve our communication we help to ensure the success of all future initiatives, so we've got to start here.

Disagrees with

While we are on the topic of communication, I would disagree with some of the statements made in "Clean up How we Communicate." It states that "nothing is tracked, nothing is public, and nobody knows what happened to it." Council meetings are video recorded, and official minutes are approved and available as part of the public record. I agree that this information can be presented in a more easily understandable format, and work can be done to ensure all public correspondence is transparent and accountable. Over the past four years, village hall has experienced significant staff turnover. Our staff truly do their best despite competing daily priorities, even as the complexity and breadth of their workload increases. I will continue to advocate for improved communication and clear, achievable timelines that meet community expectations. Concerns must be addressed, not just noted.