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Nancy Wilhelm-Morden declares for mayor

Former councillor, prominent lawyer second into the race for mayor
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Nancy Wilhelm-Morden is making it official.

The former longtime councillor and newspaper columnist declared Monday her candidacy for mayor of the Resort Municipality of Whistler.

"I am thrilled to be finally doing this," she said in a prepared statement. "It's time for municipal government in this town to refocus on what it does best."

In her news release, Wilhelm-Morden emphasized her experience from four terms on Whistler council. First elected to council in 1984, she later served on councils from 1988 to 1990, 1996 to 1999 and 2005 to 2008. Since the last election she has written a column in the Whistler Question that has been scathingly critical of the current council's decisions.

"First and foremost, I am a pragmatist," she said. "Common sense tells me that property tax increases year after year in an economic downturn are untenable. Plus we need to find value for money.

"When we spend tax dollars, we must act as though that money is coming out of our own pockets. Because, you know, it is. Fiscal responsibility is the most pressing issue."

Wilhelm-Morden wants the municipality to strive for "excellence in providing municipal services" like public transit and library. She wants it to stop competing with private business and not "duplicate the efforts of its partners" and begin cooperating with bodies like Tourism Whistler, the Chamber of Commerce and Whistler Blackcomb.

Issues mentioned in her news release include pay parking, "finalizing" the Athletes' Village and reviewing the structure in municipal hall, as well as assisting with the development and implementation of a cultural plan.

Though she mentions the Athletes' Village, she makes no mention of the asphalt plant, which continues to operate over complaints from residents of the nearby Cheakamus Crossing neighbourhood, which served as the Athletes' Village during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.