Hockey Card:
Occupations? Own Organica Foods Ltd; private ski instructor, Whistler Blackcomb. Formerly the program director and lead instructor for the former Capilano University Fitness Leadership Certificate program, head ski coach in Killington Vermont; program director for the B.C. Fitness Appraisers Association and school trustee for the Sea to Sky School District for 12 years.
Furthest place you travelled and why. Lived in Brussels for six years doing my graduate degrees so travelled to Israel, Russia. Recently to Hong Kong and the Maldives for business. I did my graduate work in Brussels because I wanted to live in Europe as my father is from Hungary and a grandfather is from Switzerland. It was also a great excuse to ski all over Europe.
Describe yourself using five words or less. Passionate, eclectic, engaged in community life, experienced in governance, collaborative.
What is one thing people would be surprised to learn about you? Wow - after the Olympics and as a result of many TV interviews I think everyone knows so much about me. When I was 16 years old I went to Switzerland with my father to finalize the purchase of the first lifts for Whistler Mountain and Mr. (Gerhard) Mueller (he owned Mueller Lifts - the first lifts on the mountain) took me for a plane ride in his small plane over the Alps. We took off from a cow pasture. The take off was fine but the landing - well let's say... very bumpy.
Profile Questions:
What do you see as the top election issues? Bringing the municipal focus back to the core - that is focusing on services for our citizens. Build a budget based on no more new taxes. Reconsider the past issues that forgot businesses and citizens in maintaining a lifestyle that is economically viable and healthy. To help us move to the future with our local experts and people to build an economic plan that will include strategies in tourism, education, sport and the arts. Livability is key, which includes environmental impacts and economic impacts.
How would you address the budget shortfall? Now that there is a service review completed I think that the new council needs to sit down with the CAO and look at every line item carefully. We had to do this on school board. It is easy to cut the "low hanging fruit," but tougher decisions have to be made.
What do you think is the RMOW's role in boosting tourism? My experience from working on the mountain and as a surveyor for Tourism Whistler is that once people come here they love it. So the RMOW just needs to keep our village and municipality livable and accessible. The RMOW can be engaged with key partners to build the environment for tourism promotion to thrive with a clear strategy.
What would you do to enhance the environment for business? I have been on the board of the Whistler Chamber of Commerce and in those five years learned to value the issues that businesses have. Again, a clear economic plan is needed, and we need to listen to the Chamber on what the RMOW can do to help. For example, the parking in the day lots needs to be reconsidered with our businesses.
Give an example of a difficult situation you have overcome. One was when we as the School Board had moved children from Myrtle Philip to Spring Creek due to overcrowding at Myrtle Philip. We knew there would be some children displaced who did not live close to Spring Creek. We overcame the outcry from the parents by putting forward a clear consulting process with good data. We listened and consulted with our key partners. In the end children did come from Spruce Grove, but we had very little backlash because all were heard. Life is full of situations to be overcome.
Where can people go to get your election platform? www.voteforandree.com
