In the election to replace veteran Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) director Lee Turnbull in West Howe Sound, one candidate is offering continuation and the other is promising to take a more aggressive approach at the board table.
Speaking at the Nov. 1 candidates forum at Eric Cardinall Hall, Ron Girard said he would use the skills he developed by serving six years on Gibsons council to “get the job done” in Area F.
“For the last nine years, our director being the most informed, detail-oriented, consensus-building, highly organized elected official at the SCRD has not benefitted us,” Girard said in his opening remarks. “We’ve been ignored, dismissed, taken for granted as a cash cow revenue stream for the rest of the regional district. By choosing me that will no longer be the case.”
Returning to the theme in his closing remarks, Girard said: “We’re electing a director, not a manager. There’s more than enough managers at the SCRD.”
Ian Winn, who was nominated by Turnbull and in his closing remarks thanked her for giving 12 years of service to the area, took a less combative tone than Girard toward the SCRD and praised Turnbull’s record.
“Lee was the right person for the job and I’m the next right person for the job,” he said.
Winn said he would be a team player and team leader if elected and described his business experience as ranging from multi-million-dollar corporations to a home-based business.
A key issue for the area, he said, is “the critical balance that must occur between sound economic development and enhancing our environment.” He said he put his name forward because he strongly believes that “economic development should not, must not happen at the risk of harming our environment.”
Winn, who has been a fixture at recent SCRD committee meetings and other public events, said he did so “to become immersed, involved and educated as to what’s important to you today.”
As well as securing more project funding for the area, Girard said his priorities include saving money by eliminating overlapping bureaucracy with the municipalities and helping more local farms get established in the Agricultural Land Reserve.
“Senior government needs to be pushed for tax incentives and grants to develop these lands so we can have farm-to-market food in less than 10 kilometres,” he said, adding that the Persephone beer farm on Stewart Road is the model to watch because “it’s the future.”
Asked how to attract and retain younger people to the Coast, Winn said the aging demographic could be an opportunity rather than a challenge, providing young people with health care and home care jobs.
The two candidates also answered questions on the regional water system, Grantham’s Hall, Area F’s industrial tax base, the Marine Drive bike lane, traffic concerns, spending priorities, environmental issues and communication.
