It has been an honour to serve as your elected trustee for the North Salt Spring Waterworks District over the past three years.
During that time, I’ve come to understand that a big reason you elected me was because I bring over 30 years of experience in the water treatment industry, working for Veolia, one of the largest water and environmental services companies in the world. I was grateful for the trust you placed in that experience.
Reflecting on the past three years, I’ve learned that the role of trustee involves reviewing a significant amount of technical and financial information and making decisions based on that data. But beyond the numbers, it’s really about judgment—balancing long-term infrastructure needs, affordability, and fairness for our community.
I’ve also learned how important it is to have a board made up of people with different perspectives. A well-functioning board isn’t one where everyone agrees—it’s where trustees listen to each other, consider different viewpoints, and work through issues thoughtfully. Some of the best decisions come from those discussions.
Another key takeaway has been the importance of a strong relationship between trustees and staff. This is a governance board. Trustees provide direction and oversight, while staff manage the day-to-day work. That relationship works best when there is mutual trust and respect.
Looking back, there are a few things I’m particularly proud of.
We lifted the water moratorium on the Mount Maxwell side. We are also now breaking ground on the new Mount Maxwell water treatment plant—an important step toward securing long-term water reliability for ratepayers.
We changed the leak allowance policy after a ratepayer faced a five-figure bill due to a major leak, ensuring residents are protected from catastrophic costs. Situations like that highlight how policy decisions affect real people.
I advocated for changes to our water rate structure so that for 2026, there is no increase at the lowest tier, while the largest increases apply to the highest tier. This helps ensure that essential water remains affordable.
If given the opportunity to continue serving as your trustee, I would continue to focus on responsible decision-making, protecting ratepayers, and ensuring a reliable water system for our community.
A virtual candidates forum will be held on Wednesday, April 8 at 6:00 pm, where you will have the opportunity to meet the candidates and ask questions. The link is available on the North Salt Spring Waterworks District homepage under the AGM notice.
