Campaign Slogan: No hard sell, just vote for Shel"
Age: 46
Occupation: Entrepreneur in investment management, single parent
Volunteerism: Myrtle Philip school, position on the District Parental Advisory Committee.
Skier, biking, golfing
Hobbies: Wind surfing, inline skating, multi-sports enthusiast, writing, camping, and anything with 6-year-old son
Web site: N/A
Last book read: What Matters Most: The Power of Living Your Values by Hyrum W. Smith
Why are you running for council?
I have the time now to think beyond home life and family life now that my son is in the First Grade.
I’m very excited where Whistler is at right now and what’s on the horizon, like the Olympics. In the big picture, we could go in any number of directions, and I want to make sure we go where the community wants, in the best interests of what we have here.
It’s a great place to live, but it’s not without concerns right now.
I also think that I have a lot to offer, fresh ideas, fresh blood. The people there (in council) have done a great job, but I think council could benefit from some new energy.
I started to get more involved last year in a community issue – the school zoning issue, which is near to my heart. The whole issue of the WEF and the way that was handled also spoke to me.
Becoming involved felt good, it was exciting, and I wanted to do more of it.
What are the major accomplishments/failures of council since the last election?
Council has done some really good things, and that’s going back six years because most of council has been there that long. The Whistler Housing Authority has made huge progress under (council).
I’ve been very impressed with our position on the Olympics. We’ve made great headway, and council held out for a legacies package which is excellent.
The sustainability initiatives, once they are implemented, are excellent. (council) really brought it to the forefront of people’s minds – not just in Whistler, but they have reached even further, introducing the concept to others like the Olympic Bid Corporation.
On the downside, there is still a long way to go.
We still have a resident housing problem, and it’s been the same since day one. We have to stay on top of it so that demand doesn’t continue to overwhelm supply.
(Housing) has to be beefed up to meet business demands, or it will erode the quality of service, or the product we have in Whistler.
A simple solution is more high-density rental housing along the lines of Whistler-Blackcomb staff housing. This we need as soon as possible – we can’t go into another winter with this problem.
The Olympic development is great, but it’s still eight years out – we can’t rely on it to solve our immediate problems.
That’s the first downside.
The second is that a lot of people have been put off by the Whistler. It’s Our Future process by going the route of expensive outside consulting firms. We have all the resources – so much talent and knowledge and passion in the community – that we could have done an excellent job ourselves. I think it would have had a lot more support and kept people involved if we used internal resources and kept it local.
The third is that we have a communications problem. There’s a sense of closed-door decision making, of seeking community input after the fact.
I’d like to see more inclusion in government, listen to voices from the community before decision are made.
What are the key issues facing the next council?
Employee housing has got to be addressed once and for all so we don’t have the same crisis every fall of people trying to find places to live. Employers are not able to staff their businesses, so the level of service suffers – this can’t continue.
Then there’s the whole affordability issue for longer-term residents. We have to make it affordable to buy a house, to plan their lives to be here.
We don’t want to see all our talent move away. If people want to stay, it should be an option for them to do so.
On the affordability issue, one thing I would like to see is a resident I.D. card that locals can use to get discounts on groceries, buses, retail, ski passes, everything.
Some affordability solutions can be found in the solutions to other problems. For example, in the (Tourist Accommodation) issue. People should be able to rent out their homes over Christmas or Spring Break where there is a need for more capacity to help pay property taxes for the year.
Instead, council is taking people to court and the issue still isn’t resolved – if anything, it’s escalating. It’s just more money down the drain.
Instead of prosecuting people for TA infractions, if the problem is a concern about noise and parking, we should clamp down on those problems.
Then there’s the issues of fiscal responsibility, putting first things first. We’re spending heaps of public money on luxuries like million dollar Web sites and outside consultant studies. We need to assess our options before signing contracts so we can get the most bang for our buck… and keep as much as we can in-house.
I would also like to see more transparency and inclusion in council.
Sustainability means different things to different people. To me it means hanging on to the greatness of Whistler – that we don’t become overgrown or too crowded, and seeing the quality of our product degenerate.
Why should people vote for you.
I’m smart, I have a lot of business savvy, a very diverse background – I have lived here 22 years on and off and can offer a lot of perspective. I love this area and don’t want to see it compromised in any way.
I’m a good listener, I think the community should be heard, and I’m very good at making things happen – I’m a doer.
I’m also a quick study. If there is something I don’t know about, I’ll learn it and get back on top very quickly.
I know Whistler as an entrepreneur and as a lifelong learner. I like to look at the big picture, and I’m also somewhat of an idealist – I know I can do a really good job.
