Community People Profiles for Elections is a series on the Salt Spring Exchange featuring local personalities on our dynamic Gulf Island who are running for local office. Our People Profiles are short interviews, with one answer questions to share with you a little about what each of the people we will feature are thinking about as they go about their lives living on Salt Spring Island and as they run their respective election campaigns. This profile is for Maxine Leichter, who is a candidate running for 2015 Fire Board Trustee Election.
Here's a bit about Maxine;
My husband and I moved to Salt Spring in 2003, fulfilling a lifetime dream to live in the country, away from the big city. We spent the first few years building our off-grid house and getting to know Salt Spring. We enjoy being part of a small community where we meet friends every time we go to town. My passion for local government has resulted in my learning all I can about the various government entities on Salt Spring, what the problems are and how to solve them. I especially like helping individuals and groups having problems with local government. Now I would like to help the Fire Department reduce costs and undertake an effective public involvement process leading to a new fire hall. In my spare time, I knit, read and garden.
What brought you to Salt Spring Island?
When we first visited Salt Spring in 1989 we felt like we had found our real home. We kept coming back and eventually bought property here. We enjoy the natural beauty, the good kayaking and diverse population.
What one thing about Salt Spring would you tell someone who has never visited the island?
No matter what you are interested in, there is a group here dedicated to it.
If you had a magic Salt Spring wand, what island thing would you change?
More collaboration between local government and community organizations.
Which well known person, living or dead, do you think would be a good addition to the island?
Red Green, to help us make better use of our recyclables.
Which elected position are you seeking?
Fire District Trustee
Why should Salt Springers vote for you?
Solving the problems facing the Fire Department requires a through understanding of why things are the way they are and what can be done to improve them. My approach to improving how agencies, like the Fire Department, operate has always been to inform myself first about what they are required and allowed to do by the provincial government and other entities so that my solutions are realistic and practical.
If elected I would welcome public input at board meetings. For years, I have been promoting inclusive and effective public involvement in government decisions. This is what is essential to get a plan for a new fire hall that the public will support.
COSTS - I want to reduce costs. Full-time firefighters’ salaries, on-call duties and the number of positions are set in a binding union contract that expires in 2016. I was the first candidate to say that I would go beyond the Walker Report recommendations and to immediately engage professional assistance to explore options and help negotiate a fair and affordable contract with unionized firefighters.
I will urge that the Trustees examine the cost effectiveness of each element of the fire department and have a meaningful dialogue about where we might save money without reducing service levels and community safety.
I will urge pursuit of new sources of revenue such as recovering response costs for repeat false alarms.
EXPERIENCE – I have relevant experience with three levels of government. Before retiring I worked as a policy analyst and supervisor with the City of Los Angeles, one of the largest government entities in North America, it was part of my job to find effective solutions to community problems and to tender contracts according to a fair and transparent process. I was elected Director of the Three Valleys Municipal Water District where I worked to limit budget increases. Having been involved in a family business I know how important it is to keep costs under control.
Since coming to SSI, I have been a community advocate consistently calling for more effective public participation in government decision-making. I was appointed to the Salt Spring Liquid Waste Commission where the other commissioners and I have been working to control taxpayer costs by instituting a more cost effective strategy to deal with the island’s septage and sewage sludge.
Is there a really good interview question we should have asked you?
Why is having Full Service Fire Department important?
How would you have answered your question?
At the Trustee meeting on March 16th two candidates from the group running together (Schlenker and Forest) each had sent an e-mail asking the current Fire Trustees not to adopt a level of service until the new trustees take office and other questions are answered. Their group’s joint publicity piece states that they want a 10 year strategic plan adopted as a starting point to determine the Level of Service. This leads to serious concerns that if elected, they would reduce the Fire Department to less than Full Service to reduce costs.
I am the only candidate to state that I support a Full Service Fire Department.
Full Service is what the Fire Department has provided for three decades. It is the normal and expected level of service from fire departments in BC except in very remote locations. Even Saturna Island, with 350 residents, has a full service fire department.
The next lower level of service would mean firefighters could only enter a building to fight fires for simple structures or objects such as vehicles, simple family dwellings or small structures. They would not be allowed to enter more complex locations that were on fire such as schools, hospitals, care facilities or shopping locations, even if a rescue was needed or property could be saved. Also there would be no medical aid or support for our overstretched ambulance service, no rescue of persons from cars crushed in traffic accidents and no hazardous materials response. No other agency on Salt Spring will provide these services.
When thinking about changing the level of service we expect from our fire department it is important to remember that we are on an island and assistance from other fire departments is hours away if it comes at all. In an emergency seconds count.
Editorial note: We will feature all local candidates running for all elected positions equally who are interested in being featured on the Salt Spring Exchange. We have attempted to contact all candidates. If you are running for election and you would like to be featured in the Salt Spring Exchange people profile for elections, please contact us.
