Former reporter and Gibsons Chamber of Commerce executive director Donna McMahon is seeking to oust long-time Elphinstone director Lorne Lewis for a seat at the board of the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD).
“It’s time for a change,” McMahon told Coast Reporter. Lewis has yet to officially declare his intention to run.
A 22-year resident of Elphinstone, McMahon stepped down from her position at The Local Weekly to run for director. In an interview for Coast Reporter Radio, McMahon said if elected she aims to improve communication. Residents “rely on their director to communicate with them … and this is especially true in the rural areas because you only have one representative.”
She also said she wants to see the SCRD improve its communication with the public. “They could get into this century... They record every meeting, they could put the recordings online. They should be videotaping the meetings the way Sechelt does,” she said, adding it’s impractical for people from the SCRD’s wide geographical area to be able to attend meetings, most of which are held during the workday.
McMahon, 59, said part of what prompted her to run was the lack of diversity on the board. “Lots of us keep complaining that there’s not enough women in elected positions on the Coast and eventually somebody has to stand up and say, ‘I’ll do it.’” She said she also wants to see more collaboration between municipalities and the SCRD.
Aside from communication, McMahon sees water and garbage as the most pressing issues facing the incoming board. “We want abundant water and no garbage and what we’ve got is abundant garbage and no water, and we have to deal with that in the next four years,” she said.
As with Lewis, McMahon is skeptical of the $5-million Chapman drawdown project, which is awaiting provincial approval. “It doesn’t make any sense as an emergency measure,” she said of the project. “I also agree with [SCRD chair] Bruce Milne that once they’ve sunk $5 million into this project, they’re going to be very tempted to make it the solution and it’s not the solution because we need a reservoir, urgently.”
On the DL 1313 front, a much-loved Elphinstone forest that could be auctioned off by BC Timber Sales (BCTS), McMahon said the BCTS and SCRD relationship is continuing to improve, but that efforts have to be made to minimize conflict. “I think BCTS recognize they aren’t on the strongest ground there, which is why they have deferred it so many times.” She also said that no amenities exist in Elphinstone above the highway. “Having a green space set aside for that area would be nice to do.”
She said the solution to traffic woes in Elphinstone, including safety improvements on the highway, is to work with municipalities to lobby consistently.
Among her activities, McMahon is a consultant for the Community Resource Centre, an administrator for the Sunshine Coast Film Society and a business plan writer for Business Plans Canada. She is also a board member of the Coast Community Investment Cooperative, and is on the loans and investments committee for Community Futures Sunshine Coast.
