The race to be Whistler’s next mayor was broadened last week with Greg Lee’s announcement that he would seek the job in the Nov. 16 election. Lee, a realtor and former professional ski racer, is the fourth announced candidate for mayor. Previously, councillors Hugh O’Reilly and Max Kirkpatrick announced they were running for mayor, as did Helmut Banka, who has a masonry business. Also this week, Don Goodall and Richard Wyne announced they are candidates for council. Wyne is a program director for the local sports injury prevention program. He is also a member of the Blackcomb Ski Patrol’s rescue-dog crew. Goodall is a long-time Whistler resident and has worked in a number of fields. Incumbent councillors Dave Kirk, Kristi Wells and Bill Murray have all announced they will seek re-election to council. Meanwhile, Whistlerites will also be electing school board trustees on Nov. 16, but only two instead of the present three. The Howe Sound School Board will be reduced from nine trustees to seven for the next election, a cost saving measure suggested by the board. Whistler and Squamish, which each have three trustees on the current board, will elect two each this year. Whistler trustee Ele Clark will seek re-election. Laurie Vance has not yet decided whether she will run again. Whistler’s third trustee, Bonnie Munster, who has served several terms as trustee, has not yet declared her intentions.
