Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Wilhelm-Morden spent more than $20,000 in bid to be Whistler's mayor

Whistler Blackcomb chipped in for Forsyth and Melamed campaigns
n-election_expenses_mayor
THUMBS UP Nancy Wilhelm-Morden celebrates victory after a hard fought municipal election. By Joern Rohde WPNN.org

Ralph Forsyth raised the most cash in the lead up to November's municipal election at $19,633 but it wasn't enough to net him the mayor's seat.

Nancy Wilhelm-Morden, on the other hand, raised $15,284 in cash and a further $7,798 in in-kind donations for a grand total of more than $23,000. That helped secure the win and 2,636 votes - 2,000 more votes than incumbent mayor Ken Melamed with Forsyth in third place.

Both Forsyth and Melamed had a helping hand to the tune of $1,000 from Whistler Blackcomb, according to financial disclosure statements. The company did not contribute to Wilhelm-Morden's campaign.

The three other mayoral candidates - Shane Bennett, Miro Kolvek and Brent McIvor - each filed disclosure statements stating they had no campaign contributions.

The deadline for filing the statements was Monday, March 19, 120 days after the general voting day.

The campaign financing disclosure statements not only show how much money was raised and spent in the election but also who was backing each candidate in the run for mayor.

Though it was a landslide victory for Wilhelm-Morden, she still raised significantly less than record-holder Ted Nebbeling, who raised $40,000 in his unsuccessful bid for mayor in 2005.

Wilhelm-Morden listed more than 40 individuals and corporations including Watermark Communications and McCann Mgt. Ltd.

Thirty-six individuals and corporations donated to Forsyth's campaign including Vision Pacific, Boardwalk Investments and Glacier Creek.

Ken Melamed raised almost $8,000 in his bid for a third term as mayor, about $1,000 less than he raised in the previous election.

The list of Melamed's contributors was also shorter - from more than 30 in 2008 to just over 20 in 2011.

Council candidates also had to file disclosure statements at the 120-day mark.

Jack Crompton, who ran the most expensive campaign three years ago at $7,000, raised $1,650 this time around. The second time running, however, was a charm and he was elected to office. His election expenses were more than double what he raised at more than $3,600.

Though it was half of what he spent last time around, Crompton still spent the most of the six successful council candidates.

Duane Jackson and Roger McCarthy were next in line, spending roughly $2,000 each. John Grills spent $1,406, AndrŽe Janyk $693 and Jayson Faulkner spent the least at $360.

Of the council incumbents, all of whom looked to run again for council, Ted Milner spent the most at $2,480. Grant Lamont was next at $1,350, Tom Thomson at $1,224, Chris Quinlan at $742 and Eckhard Zeidler spent nothing.

Of the almost $7,800 in in-kind donations, Wilhelm-Morden listed two billboards each valued at $1,379. One of those billboards was on Highway 99 at Britannia Beach.

The $480 that remained in Wilhelm-Morden's campaign funds was donated to the Community Foundation of Whistler.