What’s your occupation? (Current and/or past)
I’m a Professional Engineer and I focus on high technology product development in the wireless sector. Basically, I solve complex problems with very little information. (I get paid for my brain, not my looks, or my public speaking skills). There’s a saying; You know you work in high tech when you’ve worked for five different companies and haven’t moved your desk. Change is rapid in my world. I’ve found that embracing change in the short term gives you more time to create long term plans.
How long have you lived on Bowen?
32 years come Halloween. The population then was about 2,500 and the RCMP officer commuted off the island for the night.
Who inspires you? (Real or fictional)
I take inspiration from the people around me, which first and foremost is Beth, my wife (if I could bottle her positivity and enthusiasm, I’d be rich), but also my parents, sister, our sons and girlfriends, friends, neighbours. I’m really inspired by being part of a community where people step up to get things done without looking for acknowledgement let alone credit.
Please list any current and/or past committees or organizations you've been a part of in your career.
Professionally I’ve a member of the APEGBC/EGBC and have been a member of various trade organizations like the BCTIA and the CTIA. I also helped the UBC Sailbot team with their autonomous sailboat, ADA, and in a very minor role the UBC Rocket club.
Locally, I would describe myself as the “supportive spouse and father” helping out with any organization that my kids were involved with or that my wife was a board member of including; Family Place, the Bowen Island Preschool, and the Community School Association. I’ve helped out with coaching soccer and baseball, and all of the activities involved in raising four kids. I was lucky enough to go on the Squamish “Big House” trip twice. I generally help where I can and my initials, and blood, are in the concrete of a few community projects.
What are your (non-housing) related priorities for the next four years?
The responsible thing to do is get a handle on our fiscal situation. First off is to separate fact from fiction to determine the true state of affairs. The filtration plant was supposed to be operational 18 months ago. Sewer/septic limitations are a factor in completing the health centre and will likely be an issue for the BIRCH project and individual property owners too. The community centre is underway but underfunded and we need to get a plan in place to complete construction and then work up a business strategy.
How would you tackle the issue of affordable/rental housing on Bowen? And, Bowen will be doing a full review of short-term rental policies next year, do you have any early thoughts on this specifically (ie. Should short-term rentals continue to be allowed in secondary suites)
I recognize that people are financially dependent on the income from short term rentals but as a community we’re paying the cost of the related services and there is a lack of stable long-term rentals. So, I don’t think short term rentals should be allowed in secondary suites until there’s an adequate supply of long term rentals.
Property taxes are set for a double digit increase next year. What will your fiscal approach be re: what municipal financial obligations are passed on to property owners?
The municipality doesn’t make money it spends your money so any obligations will be passed on. I think we’re going to be seeing increasing costs for infrastructure repair and replacement. As a result, we’re going to need to keep borrowing, looking for grants, and ideally build back the reserve fund. I’m hoping that by being more fiscally prudent we can keep any increases to a minimum and property owners will feel they’re getting better value for their tax dollar.
Assuming the land sale goes through, how will you advocate Bowen gets the best result from the proposed Cape Roger Curtis park?
I would prefer to be proactive and put together a plan for what we think is acceptable and not wait to react to Metro Vancouver’s proposal. This gives us time and at the very least helps clarify a bargaining position. The biggest challenge could be to get agreement on what Bowen thinks is acceptable and I think not having this will hurt us in the long run.
What will your approach to tourism on Bowen be, and how would you strike a balance between the tourism economy and issues that arise from it (ferry capacity, increased strain on island services such as emergency, etc.)
I mentioned rapid change and this is a perfect example. Almost overnight we’ve gone from being a bedroom community to a destination resort. However, unlike a resort, we have no way of controlling how many guests show up. My concern is that everything we’ve talked about for recovering costs is just going to be a drop in the bucket, e.g. licenses for Short Term Rentals and the Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT).
Long term if we’re destined to be a resort we need to adapt to that kind of thinking. Short term we need to work out solutions to reclaim our lives. Foot passenger ferries could provide smaller and more frequent service but it doesn’t help those who have to drive on. On this side we need a marshalling solution.
BC Ferries is the “admission gate” to the island, they control who and how many come to the island. Consider that “Possible Wait” could also mean there are too many people on the island. A couple of ideas: have BC Ferries collect an additional “Bowen” tourist tariff on our behalf, and a combined priority/reservation system for residents, licensed contractors, and possibly guests of licensed Short Term Rentals.
Bowen’s population rose by 600 in the past 5 years, and could pass 5,000 by the next census in four years. What is your opinion on continued population growth on the island, and the best ways to manage it?
I only see the population growing but hopefully at a slower pace. My big concern, like everyone else, is that the cost of housing is going to prevent young people from getting established here and, unless they already own a house, drive seniors away.
There may be some merit in looking at older financing techniques such as vendor take back mortgages and rent-to-own agreements to remove some of the barriers to entering the housing market. I also think the new secondary suites bylaw might be combined with these ideas to create some opportunities.
Water, sewage and roads will need major amounts of work in the upcoming years. What will your approach to our infrastructure be to avoid surprise or rising costs?
The reason I’m running is basically in recognition of this fact. The report you did on the budget included a comment from Public Works that the replacement cost of all the culverts on the island is in the ballpark of $40 million. I think we’re seeing indications of infrastructure tapping out now (sewer capacity and the culvert in the Cove being two).
We seem to have trouble dealing with capital projects. I’d like to tap into the collective experience within the community to make sure we don’t go down the wrong path, and also involve local contractors who have a vested interest.
What is your position on the Bowen election Islands Trust referendum, and how do you want to see Bowen’s relationship with Islands Trust change (or not) during the next term, keeping in mind the group has applied to the provincial government for a full review of its operations.
I’ve been to many of the Gulf Islands and there are a lot of commonalities with Bowen so I feel there’s benefit in the association, but I don’t want to be subsidizing services for other islands. The actual change to the funding formula is provincial and the response to the ballot question will give us a basis for future discussions. I’ve also wondered if taking a larger role in the trust might be beneficial, e.g. could we provide services to the Trust as a revenue stream?
And for fun, if you could pick a new animal to add to Bowen’s mascot roster, which would it be and why?
As of last week, Sea Otter. It’s a great symbol of continued environmental recovery.
Contact:
votebowen.ca
