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Eckhard Zeidler

Candidate profile
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Hockey Card:

Occupation: Retired Investment Banker, graphic designer, farmer

Furthest place travelled: Through No Man's Land into East Germany the day after the Iron Curtain fell. Might as well have been in another galaxy.

Describe yourself using five words or less: Happy, balding, working like crazy.

What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? I actually ENJOY Council!

Profile questions:

What do you see as the top election issues? The strained relationship between the muni, elected officials and the community. With the right team at the table we can make real progress to common goals.

How would you address the budget shortfall? The completed transit and RMOW Service Reviews are the first early steps in redesigning how the RMOW delivers on its mandate. The next phase already underway is a top to bottom organizational review. Expect to see much more going forward, but it will not include ill considered slashing and burning. Folks expect a certain level of service and cuts that will be made must be well considered and balanced.

What do you think is the RMOW's role in boosting tourism? Continuing to build on our growing reputation for arts, culture and heritage to compliment our outdoor activities. More important though is the consideration (as enshrined in the draft OCP) of repurposing some of those empty beds. We will never fill all our beds with visitors; let's use empty spaces for more permanent uses. For example I support the concept of higher education, but not if it means building a bunch more facilities and market housing to support it. Our physical growth is over, now let's get on with utilizing that over-capacity in a productive and imaginative way.

What would you do to enhance the environment for business? More permanent residents but within the existing housing capacity, and/or repurposed empty space. Locals actually making the village and surroundings their home. I'd like to see lineups of locals and visitors together for fresh-baked bread on the Village Stroll. The vibrancy would go beyond what we ever imagined.

Give an example of a difficult situation you have overcome: Those difficult situations where I'm on the losing end of 5-2 Council votes but know in my heart the decision needs to be turned around - like keeping the Waste Water Treatment Plant in the hands of the community, not some corporation ... or the asphalt plant. If our basic values have sunk so low that we subject our residents in one neighborhood to such conditions, then it could happen anywhere in Whistler. Those tough situations HAVE to be turned around but they are always bleak and desperate until they are.

Where can people go to get your election platform: All-candidates meetings, articles like this or by calling me at 604-938-9099.



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