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 weeks featured local election people profile is: George Grams

Here’s a bit about George:

We share our north end farm with our two horses, our cat and with the considerable wildlife that inhabits the 6 acres of second growth woodland that we have set aside as their sanctuary. The farm needed work and we've built a barn, workshop, office and stables, moved and remodelled the house, restored the original farmhouse, built a riding ring and fenced. We milled much of our own timber on a sawmill I purchased for the process and then resold. We're still in some regards a work in progress.

I run a design and construction management company serving clients in BC and Washington State and am also a qualified arbitrator. Over the next couple of years I'll be working to transition to spend most of my time in arbitration rather than design and construction.

I successfully ran for office in 2011 and feel I have played my part in calming the evident discontent with local governance that was expressed prior to and during the last election. I've won some major victories at Trust Council and have developed a collaborative and respectful relationship with my fellow trustees and with staff. staff.

For the most part I've been successful in achieving the goals I set and which I campaigned on. However, some require work yet and there are important new initiatives that need to be advanced that would improve our community and advance the serve and protect mandate of the Trust.

What brought you to Salt Spring Island?

In 2001 I felt I needed a sea change. I'd been running a group companies specializing in low environmental impact design and construction (I'm a UK chartered architect) for twelve years. I spent two of years looking at possible destinations to which I might relocate and in 2003 I moved to BC with my daughter. We lived in Lions Bay for the first fifteen months then moved to Salt Spring when we bought our farm in July of 2005. It's been the right decision for my wife, daughter and self.

What one thing about Salt Spring would you tell someone who has never visited the island?

The Island is a uniquely beautiful place with an ecological energy and vibrancy that is becoming increasingly difficult to find. The task that the provincial government set for the trust was visionary, timely and in large measure is being achieved.

Community life is rich, rewarding and deeply absorbing and the array of talent is formidable. We love our way of life here and feel a deep sense of belonging.

If you had a magic Salt Spring wand, what island thing would you change?

I'd not change much, maybe bring a few more summer rainstorms and reduce the duration of the winter.

Which well known person, living or dead, do you think would be a good addition to the island?

From the dead: Rudolph Steiner and George Carlin.

From the living: Vandana Shiva and Russell Brand.

Which elected position are you seeking?

Islands Trust trustee.

Why should Salt Springers vote for you?

My background:

• Many years experience working with local governments including three years as an island trust trustee.
• Strong environmental credentials working with environmental groups, including three years as chair of the Scottish Ecological Design Association.
• Many years experience in senior management running a small group of companies specializing in low environmental impact design and construction.
• Collaborative and consensual decision maker with the training and ability as a qualified arbitrator to objectively assessing complex issues and finding correct and appropriate solutions.

My achievements as a trustee:

• Three years hard work has brought rewards in terms of improved efficiency, transparency and accountability with Trust business and the achievement of some landmark legislation such as RAR and the establishment of SSIWPA.
• I have won trust of trustees at Trust Council who have signalled that trust by, for the first time, delegating some of their powers to the SSI Local Trust Committee to undertake coordinated management of multiple government agencies.
• Completion of the first phase of the work to review how we provide for and regulate industries that serve our island and its residents.
• Completion of the first phase of the governance study review.
• the commencement of the Ganges Village Masterplan review which includes work on completing the Harbour Boardwalk.
• Completion of the legislation legalizing secondary suites.

Two major new objectives:

• If re-elected I will promote two major new initiatives:
• a comprehensive review of focused on water quantity on island.
• the preparation of an integrated community sustainability plan.

I also wish to steward to a conclusion the work already commenced on the industrial land review, the Ganges village master plan and the governance study.

Is there a really good interview question we should have asked you?

If you were to win the election, who would be your preferred colleague in office?

How would you have answered your question?

I will have to work with the trustee that the electorate dictates to be my colleague. Candidates will begin to define that working relationship during the election. For that reason I will remain collegiate during the campaign and try to built a relationship of respect with all candidates. That gives us the best opportunity for a successful working relationship if we're elected.

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.