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At least 16 vie for seats on council

Nine new candidates challenge seven incumbents Whistler’s council could have a whole new look at its inaugural meeting in December. Then again, it might look exactly the same.

Nine new candidates challenge seven incumbents

Whistler’s council could have a whole new look at its inaugural meeting in December.

Then again, it might look exactly the same.

At least nine community members are challenging the status quo in the upcoming municipal elections. All of the incumbents however, have confirmed they will run again.

As of press time on Wednesday, Oct. 9, seven new candidates had officially dropped off their nomination papers at municipal hall.

They are:

• Ralph Forsyth, ski instructor and businessman;

• Gordon McKeever, owner of Rainbow Retreats Accommodation;

• Chris Quinlan, owner of Behind the Grind coffee shop and Play Whistler Adventures;

• Tyler Mosher, owner and operator of TMD Landscapes;

• Marianne Wade, a planning and development consultant;

• Amar Varma, a contract accountant and;

• Dave Davenport, owner of Skitch and Mountain Crests.

Davenport is the only new candidate who is running for mayor. The rest are running for council.

Two other new candidates had yet to submit their nominations but have made public their decisions to run for a council seat. They are:

• Caroline Lamont, a professional planner;

• Mitch Rhodes, a CA and president of the Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment.

Three incumbents had submitted their nomination papers by press time but all incumbents have confirmed they will seek re-election.

As of Wednesday the incumbent nominations submitted were:

• Mayor Hugh O’Reilly and,

• Councillor Ted Milner

• Councillor Stephanie Sloan

Councillors Nicolas Davies, Ken Melamed, Dave Kirk and Kristi Wells will also seek re-election.

All candidates who are running in the elections will have until Friday, Oct. 11 by 4 p.m. to submit their nomination papers.

They will then have just over a month to campaign for election.

Whistler’s Chamber of Commerce will host an all candidates meeting on Nov. 2 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Myrtle Philip school. This will give candidates the chance to present their election platforms and answer questions from the public.

Prior to this meeting all candidates will be invited to the Women of Whistler meeting on Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. at the Delta Whistler Village Suites. Here they will have a chance to meet those attending, although they will not be given specific speaking time.

Voters will go to the polls on Saturday, Nov. 16 at Myrtle Philip school from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

There will be advanced voting on Nov. 6 and 9 at municipal hall.

There is also a West Vancouver poll on Nov. 6 and 16.

The votes will be tallied electronically on the night of Nov. 16.

The inaugural meeting of the new council will be on Monday, Dec. 2.

There are also two Whistler School Board Trustee positions up for election. Incumbent Andree Janyk was the only one to submit nomination papers by press time.

Thirty minutes north, in the village of Pemberton, election time is a little quieter than in Whistler.

Although there is room for one school board trustee, one mayor and four councillors, there were only three nominations for positions at press time.

Current Mayor Elinor Warner is running again. She has been mayor of Pemberton for the past three years.

Councillor Mark Blundell, who has been on council for over one year after winning a by-election in 2001, is running again.

And the current School Trustee, Betty Connell, has put in her nomination as well.

As in Whistler, the final date for all nominations in Pemberton is Friday, Oct. 11.

Candidates have until Friday, Oct. 18 to pull their nominations.

Meanwhile in Squamish, businessman Jeff Dawson has announced he is running for a seat on Squamish council.

Dawson is the general manager of the Community Futures Development Corporation of Howe Sound.

The corporation provides small business financing, counsel and expertise to the Howe Sound region, including Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton.