My Priorities

The Blue Mountains is facing decisions that will shape our community for years to come. My priorities are to protect the Town’s financial position, keep infrastructure and services ahead of growth, make government easier to understand, and support a stronger year-round economy.

These priorities are connected: sound finances support infrastructure, clear accountability builds confidence, and a diverse economy helps sustain the community.

As Councillor, I would focus on setting clear priorities, making informed decisions and following through.

  • Plan further ahead. Rebuild our flexibility. Get infrastructure ahead of growth.

    The next Council will face some difficult financial and infrastructure decisions. My goal is to leave the Town in a more stable position, with reserves rebuilding, spending on a sustainable path, and a much clearer understanding of what the next five, ten and fifteen years will require.

    What I want to do

    Set long-term financial and reserve targets.
    Council should have clear targets for rebuilding financial flexibility and regularly measure whether we're on track.

    Forecast infrastructure capacity before we reach the limit.
    For critical infrastructure like water and wastewater, Council should be able to see existing capacity, committed capacity, projected demand, when expansion will be required, what it is expected to cost, and how we plan to pay for it.

    Strengthen oversight of major capital projects.
    Major changes in project cost, scope or schedule should trigger clear public reporting, with increasingly significant changes coming back to Council for review.

    Growth is not the enemy, but it has to make sense. Infrastructure is where responsible growth becomes real.

  • Residents deserve straight answers.

    Municipal government can be complicated. Understanding it shouldn't require reading hundreds of pages of staff reports or watching hours of Council meetings.

    Good decisions still need clear explanations. When explanation is missing, frustration fills the gap.

    What I want to do

    Plain-language Council summaries.
    After Council meetings, residents should be able to quickly see what Council decided, why it matters, what it costs, and what happens next.

    A public capital project dashboard.
    Residents should be able to look up a major Town project and see its approved budget, current forecast, schedule, status and an explanation of significant changes or delays.

    A straightforward way to ask project questions.
    If construction is affecting your neighbourhood or a Town project has been delayed, it should be easy to find out what's happening and get an understandable answer.

    This is about accountability, but it's also about participation. The Blue Mountains has residents with an extraordinary range of knowledge and experience. Making information easier to access and understand gives more people the opportunity to challenge Council, contribute their expertise and help improve decisions.

  • More opportunities to build a career and a life here.

    Tourism is an essential part of The Blue Mountains and will remain one of the foundations of our economy. I also want to see more opportunities for year-round employment.

    That means creating an environment where small businesses, professional services, skilled trades and compatible small-scale manufacturers can establish themselves and grow here.

    What I want to do

    Develop a more deliberate business attraction strategy.
    Identify the kinds of businesses and employment that fit our community, understand what prevents them from locating here, and work with regional, provincial and industry partners to attract appropriate investment.

    Review our economic development tools.
    Our Community Improvement Plan and other incentives should have clear objectives and measurable benefits. If a tool isn't producing the outcome it was designed for, we should be willing to change it.

    Make it easier to establish and grow a business here.
    Look for unnecessary barriers in municipal processes and make it easier for prospective businesses to understand what is required of them and who they need to work with.

    Economic diversification isn't about replacing tourism. It's about strengthening the year-round community alongside it. Combined with better housing options, more diverse employment gives more people the opportunity to build a long-term future in The Blue Mountains.