In their words: Three Revelstoke City Council candidates on key community issues

Revelstoke voters will pick a new city councillor in a Feb. 13, 2021 by-election.

he City of Revelstoke is holding a by-election to fill a vacant seat left after councillor Steven Cross resigned in January of 2020, citing concerns about the ethics of the mayor and some councillors following a council self-pay-raise controversy. This was followed by over a year in questionable delays to hold a by-election.

The newly elected councillor will serve for approximately 20 months until the next scheduled general municipal election in B.C. on October 15, 2022, when all Revelstoke mayor and council positions will be up for election again.

Three candidates are vying for the city councillor position in the Feb. 13, 2021 by-election. In alphabetical order by surname, they are Matt Cherry, Tim Palmer and Alistair Taylor.

Revelstokemountaineer.com reached out to all candidates and posed the same set of questions to each in a written Q&A interview format. Below are each candidate’s answers to our questions, printed exactly as they returned them. Each answer was limited to a 250-word maximum.

We chose some specific questions, as well as many open-ended questions that we thought would provide insight into each candidate’s knowledge, approach and positions on civic issues in our community.

We hope that this side-by-side comparison will help inform your voting decisions.

Listed below in alphabetical order are their replies to our Q&A.

Looking for voter information? See this link to City of Revelstoke voting information. General voting day is on Feb. 13, 2021, and advance voting days are Feb. 3 and 10.

Matt Cherry

Matt Cherry is a Revelstoke City Council candidate in the Feb. 13, 2021 by-election. Photo: Contributed

Age: 34
Occupation: Property Manager
Current federal and/or provincial political party membership: N/A

Revelstoke Mountaineer: Why are you seeking the city councillor position?

Matt Cherry: There are issues in our town that need to be addressed that people feel aren’t getting adequate attention. I especially think having someone with a background in housing would be an asset at the council table as this is our biggest issue in town at the moment.

I would love to be a voice on behalf of the community, listening to the issues they want brought forward and acting on them. How much can I really achieve just commenting on fb posts about our city?

RM: If you had to choose just one thing, which issue most motivates your decision to run for council? Please describe your approach to that issue if elected.

MC: The all-encompassing term of housing, whether that be long-term rentals, affordable housing, homes for growing families, staff accommodation, residents for seniors, down-sizing options for empty nesters, options for first-time home buyers, the insane growth (in pricing) we’ve seen in the last ten years and lack of affordability in this industry. I think we have all recognised that there is not nearly enough long-term rentals or housing, with the demand to live in the city greatly outweighing the supply.

We market ourselves as a desirable place to live and work, but the affordability is not realistic. We need to encourage densifications, secondary suites, allow carriage/laneway homes, encourage staff accommodations instead of parking spaces like the Cube Hotel did. We should be asking or requiring large developers to enter into long-term housing agreements for portions of their developments, like we saw with the Stoked Living project. There should be higher short-term rental business license fees and exploring the possibility of commercial tax rates for short-term/vacation rental that operate like boutique hotels, in potentially a tiered system. This would apply to anyone choosing to operate short-term rentals within our residential neighbourhoods commercially. Lastly, we should enforce policies around proper zoning, safety, and Covid-19 guidelines for those that are operating with, and especially without, a licence.

In your-best case scenario, what will the community of Revelstoke be like in 10 years and how will your actions as councillor help Revelstoke achieve your best-case scenario?

In my best-case scenario, hmmm. What I definitely don’t want to see is Revelstoke becoming just a playground for the rich. I envision Revelstoke being inclusive for all, whether that be through housing, small-business ventures, outdoor/indoor activities, or local community events.

Whether you’ve lived here your whole life, grew up and raised a family here, or moved here to live in the beauty of the outdoors, there should always be something for everyone. In order to achieve this, we need to do our best to preserve and protect what makes our town stand out and unique; its heritage, quaint community vibes, and natural environment.

Achieving a best-case scenario would require motioning and voting on issues related to climate change to help preserve the environment, voting in favour of diversifying our housing market, putting forward policies to encourage new small business ideas in town, and applying for funding to help alleviate the budgetary burden of improving infrastructure, just to name a few.

In your role as councillor, what specific actions will you take to address climate change?

A good start would be to tackle issues that are the most obvious, like pushing to limit the use and sale of single-use plastics in our grocery stores and local cafes/restaurants. In addition to this, we should help champion in a new composting system in order to reuse home waste in a more efficient manner, reducing the organic waste entering our landfill systems.

We should improve our public transportation system to make it more of a usable network which would help garner more ridership. Additionally, adding in more trail networks between suburbs and neighbourhoods, as well as designing new neighbourhoods to being more walkable, would reduce the use of vehicles and encourage emission-free transport. For example, Whistler did a great job in doing this by creating car-free, paved trails and boardwalks that connected neighbourhoods, parks, and recreational areas together so that you could walk, run or bike easily from one side of the city to the other, without going from one neighbourhood to the other in a vehicle.

Many towns and cities have embraced technical innovations in transportation such as ridesharing and carsharing. We should be promoting the Carshare Co-op and advertising these methods a lot more to our community to encourage its use. Did you know, there are already 5 different vehicles in this carshare program around Revelstoke? We are taking steps in the right direction!

What will your approach to communication and engagement be as councillor? Please describe in detail what voters can expect from you in terms of communication as an individual councillor, if elected.

We’ve had great examples over the last two years of what civic engagement entails and what it can be like. The social media engagement that we have seen from current councillors demonstrates the powerful tool of unifying the community digitally.

I have always been active on social media and will continue to be, but in addition to this, I am also always willing to take a phone call, schedule a zoom meeting, reply to emails and direct messages, have a coffee, and meet with locals to discuss community and council matters.

Communication is one of the main reasons why I’m running, because I’m not running to make the best choices for myself or by myself; I want feedback from the community and engagement from our citizens on projects that impact them the most.

Revelstoke is not affordable for all, including many residents who form the community. How will you address affordability issues as councillor?

This is a tough question because city council is limited to what they can do to address affordability that primarily stems from the private sector.

We have big issues such as our gas prices and groceries that are 10-15% more expensive than the closest town. Due to these complaints, our MLA is working now to fix the gas issue and we need to ensure that council and staff support any movement in the right direction of this.

The biggest issue in terms of affordability in the city is our housing, which I touched on previously. I will only make a quick point here by saying we should be introducing various types of initiatives like the Tiny-Home project as well as bringing in more BC Housing projects as these are primarily provincially funded.

Here are also some ideas we should discuss that have worked in neighbouring communities: implementing inclusionary zones and density bonuses, which will allow homeowners to renovate/build secondary suites for long-term rental use through incentives (such as reno subsidies) whilst contributing these units to the market at below-market housing costs. Other ideas are intensification through rezoning, covenants, and short-term rentals regulations.

Take a look at my Facebook page @MattCherryRevelstoke and read “A Scan Of Leading Practises In Affordable Housing“ which explains all of the above ideas in more detail with specific examples of where these ideas have worked.

Residents identify housing, including housing affordability, as a priority issue. Please explain your approach to housing and any housing objectives you have as councillor.

We need more diversity in the housing in our city, which is a given considering the amount of large, single-family homes already in our community that are unaffordable for most of our demographic.

By encouraging projects that include houses like duplexes, townhomes, condos, apartments and other multi-family homes, we encourage densification. By allowing carriage/laneway homes and secondary suites, we encourage infill housing. Infill housing is one of the more land-efficient and cost-effective options as you are already building on vacant or under-used parcels of land on an existing serviced property within the city. It also avoids the environmental impact from the development on new land.

In regards to permit review, it’s time the city invest in technical solutions. These would include solutions like permit-review software in order to streamline the process and ease the burden off city staff to focus on bigger and more innovative projects and developments, like the OCP.

It’s also time we look at increasing business licence fees for short-term vacation rental homes that are located under residential zoning and potentially looking at taxing them commercially in a tiered system (as mentioned above). Enforcement and ticketing needs to start yesterday!

The city has several public processes ongoing, such as the Official Community Plan and the Liquid Waste Management Plan, and others waiting in the wings. Can you describe your approach to future-focused municipal policy and planning?

Part of my approach to future-focused municipal policy and planning would be to ensure we are clear in determining the amount of council involvement required, whether that be maximum, some, or limited.

Making sure we are focusing on all areas on municipal planning with a holistic approach, which includes: municipal development plans, area structure plans, area redevelopment plans, land-use bylaws and any other non-statutory plans and policies as required.

Please tell us about your community involvement, such as positions you’ve held on volunteer community boards or committees.

I have recently applied to be on the Heritage Advisory Commission, Economic Development Commission and the Advisory Planning Commission. I have also submitted my interest to be part of the to-be-formed Liquid Waste Management Commission.

These only allow for certain number of council members to sit in the commissions, so the results of the by-election will affect whether or not I will sit on these commissions as potentially a councillor or a community member.

For the last 7 years, I have also been the admin of the Revy Rentals Facebook group, where I moderate anyone requesting to join the group, as well as all posts and comments. It has become the go-to spot to find long-term accommodations in the city, with over 12,000 members. I spend my time keeping our members safe by filtering out potential rental scams, giving people housing/rental advice (whether tenants or landlords), and helping many people find long-term accommodation by personally speaking with them.

Before Covid-19, I was assisting with the transport of various rescue dogs across the country, both via air and ground travel.

I donate clothes and small furniture items every year to the women’s shelter except for the past year as they were not accepting donations during Covid-19. When we clean up our rentals, there are usually various items left behind, so all the women’s clothes as well as some other the items are donated to the women’s shelter, the Legion’s bargain basement, and the Revelstoke Auxiliary thrift store.

Is there anything you would like to disclose to voters that you feel would be a distraction to council if revealed after the election? In your response, please assume that some residents may not know anything about you.

No, I’ve been nothing but open and transparent with the public and will continue to be. I would never put myself or my business before my council duties or make decisions in my own interest if it does not benefit the greater good of the community.

What is your understanding of conflict-of-interest rules? Are there any subject areas you anticipate will require to recuse yourself from discussions?

My understanding of conflict-of-interest is when I would be in a position to derive any sort of personal benefit (financial or not) from a decision, action, or otherwise made in my capacity that would be contrary to the public’s interest. As part of the BC Ethics Standards for Locally Elected Officials, “[…] elected officials who have a financial interest in a matter that will be discussed or voted on at their municipal council or regional district board meetings must declare that interest in the matter. Following their declaration, they may not participate in discussions, vote or exercise influence on the matter” (Gov of BC). However, there are exceptions to restrictions if, for example, the elected official has an interest in common with the rest of the electors of their municipality, jurisdiction, or other.

A subject area that may anticipate my recusal could be around long-term housing, depending on the context of the matter brought forward, as I do own and manage 6 properties in town.

Tim Palmer

Tim Palmer is a Revelstoke City Council candidate in the Feb. 13, 2021 by-election. Photo: Contributed

Age: 61, but feel like 31
Occupation: Local Government Specialist, I am currently focused on writing, specifically on a book about local government bureaucracy.
Current federal and/or provincial political party membership: None, over the years, I have voted for every political colour.

Revelstoke Mountaineer: Why are you seeking the city councillor position?

Tim Palmer: Thirty years from now, I do not want to regret failing to try to protect the Revelstoke I love. Our environment, the uplifting and inclusive vibe, and the recreational and lifestyle opportunities need safeguarding. I think this is why so many people serve our city; they care about Revelstoke and its future.

RM: If you had to choose just one thing, which issue most motivates your decision to run for council? Please describe your approach to that issue if elected.

TP: Action.

We have good people on council, and with a two-year learning curve behind them, they want to get things done. Unfortunately, we only have a little more than 1 ½ years left in this term. Yet the DCCs linger, the OCP process is painfully slow, and community engagement is waning. The administration, instead of council, dictate the agenda, and rumours of human resource problems abound. I can serve with the current council by utilizing my experience of more than 25 years in local government to help get things on the table for debate and achieve faster solutions.

In your-best case scenario, what will the community of Revelstoke be like in 10 years and how will your actions as councillor help Revelstoke achieve your best-case scenario?

Ten years from now, does Revelstoke have the same ambience, the same friendly feeling, the same vibrancy we cherish? Will our children and grandchildren be able to afford to live here and establish families of their own? Will they breathe the fresh mountain air and find solitude in the forests? Will they have a fulfilling career or be at the mercy of economic instability?

I came to Revelstoke for employment and stayed for the love of the land and the lifestyle. There are many beautiful places in British Columbia, but there is only one Revelstoke. Our forest and mountain backdrop, along with the natural amenities, are spiritual, sacred places worth protecting.

Ten years from now, I want those who choose Revelstoke as home to do so because of the wealth of natural beauty, a connected community, and abundant recreation opportunities. I envision residents continuing the Revelstoke tradition of lifestyle opportunity. In a decade, I want Revelstoke to continue to be a place worth protecting.

In your role as councillor, what specific actions will you take to address climate change?

I’ll give one example. The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) gave council an update on the new compost facility currently under construction at the Revelstoke landfill on January 12, 2021.

While it is encouraging there is finally movement toward removing organic waste from the landfill, the report tone was old-school and lacked environmental urgency and accountability. I think we are in the dark age when it comes to organic reuse. Other towns and cities implemented community-wide compost programs long ago.

If elected, I will immediately work with other councillors to commit to eliminating organics in the Revelstoke waste stream as soon as possible. Ideally, I would like this implemented by the end of 2021. This action is practical both environmentally and economically. Removing organics will reduce landfill costs, prevent the need to expand the landfill, reduce groundwater pollution, create new revenue sources of compost and soil enhancers, and immediately reduce GHG.

Other specific items include a review of our equipment. For example, our transit model fails to adequately serve users. We waste tax payer’s money to buy enormous fuel volumes to operate large, virtually empty buses. There is a better way to save money, serve customers and end irresponsible fossil fuel use.

What will your approach to communication and engagement be as councillor? Please describe in detail what voters can expect from you in terms of communication as an individual councillor, if elected.

Navigating the world of Facebook and politics is new to me. Throughout this campaign, I have sought to become more comfortable interacting in the social media scene. I have engaged intentionally to gain new communications skills to use if elected. I plan to post regularly on social media on what is happening in council from my perspective. I will explain why I voted for or against specific resolutions. I will continue to seek input from the community. Today the bureaucracy tends to dismiss social media; I will try to be the voice of those who interact via social media and express these opinions at the council table.

Not everyone uses social media. I will continue to be available to discuss issues with groups and individuals in person, via Zoom, on Facetime or with a traditional phone call.

Revelstoke is not affordable for all, including many residents who form the community. How will you address affordability issues as councillor?

Revelstoke is in a painfully slow process of reviewing the OCP (Official Community Plan). Meanwhile, many residents and businesses are alienated and frustrated with conflicts and lack of community planning progress that protect long-term community interests. The OCP needs more council attention and direction. Council needs to scrutinize our OCP process and find a more collaborative and expedient way to protect our community values.

The cost of housing is out of reach for many. Businesses have difficulty attracting employees due to the high cost of accommodation. Red tape and excessive taxation discourage environmentally preferable infill development. High DCC’s (Development Cost Charges) hinder homeowners from building legal suites resulting in illegal substandard suites and a corresponding loss of taxation revenue. On the other hand, the city needs to ensure appropriate DCCs for large-scale developments that directly impact roads and utilities.

Residents identify housing, including housing affordability, as a priority issue. Please explain your approach to housing and any housing objectives you have as councillor.

Addressing the Revelstoke housing needs a multi-faceted approach. Some possible remedies include:

Cut Red Tape
Developers cite poor communications, excessive processes and delayed responses as a root cause of delayed construction. Insufficient market housing drives up real estate prices and rental costs. Cutting excessive red tape will encourage and enable faster private sector housing developments.

Fair Development Cost Charges
The city’s delay in updating Development Cost Charges (DCCs) hinders equitable collection for future infrastructure. As stated in the previous question, high DCCs for infill and secondary suites results in illegal substandard suites and a corresponding loss of taxation revenue. We need to find incentives to encourage legal accommodation, then follow with vigorous enforcement.

Housing Task Force
I propose that Revelstoke create a housing and accommodation task force to address Revelstoke’s chronic housing crisis. This committee comprised of elected officials and others who would seek solutions for the chronic shortage of housing, illegal vacation rentals, and employee housing and other housing issues.

Affordable Housing Grants
In 2018 almost half a billion dollars was available for affordable housing. Salmon Arm, Vernon, Sicamous and Nelson applied and received funds from the provincial and federal governments. Revelstoke did not apply. I will encourage council to support affordable housing initiatives and provide assistance to non-profit organizations with grant applications.

The city has several public processes ongoing, such as the Official Community Plan and the Liquid Waste Management Plan, and others waiting in the wings. Can you describe your approach to future-focused municipal policy and planning?

Governments are notoriously slow. I will use my knowledge and experience to encourage the elimination of unnecessary processes to get things done. For example, in Sechelt, with council’s support, I lead the management team to complete and implement DCC changes well under one year.

Please tell us about your community involvement, such as positions you’ve held on volunteer community boards or committees.

Whether elected or not, I am keen to participate on the Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) steering committee. By leveraging my experience and expertise, I can provide insights to facilitate a good plan to address the ongoing sewer odour issues and plan for new treatment facilities to accommodate growth and modern environmental standards. I have participated in community support activities, including past Rotary president, member of the Canadian Water and Waste Security Committee, and the Burns Lake Community Energy Initiative. Currently, I am member of the Nordic Ski Club, Revelstoke Museum and Archives and a lifetime member of NCES.

Is there anything you would like to disclose to voters that you feel would be a distraction to council if revealed after the election? In your response, please assume that some residents may not know anything about you.

I am not aware of any involvement or issues that would be of any significant distraction.

What is your understanding of conflict-of-interest rules? Are there any subject areas you anticipate will require to recuse yourself from discussions?

I am very familiar with Division 6 of the British Columbia Community Charter, the major piece of provincial legislation that pertains to conflict of interest. One of the challenges that take new councillors off guard is the breadth of conflict of interest. Sometimes they cannot participate in council discussion on a topic they have expertise in because of their business or financial interest. I have very few direct business dealings in town and therefore do not foresee any conflict of interest. If a situation occurs where I have a conflict of interest, I will clearly state the nature of the conflict and recuse myself from the discussion.

Alistair Taylor

Alistair Taylor is a Revelstoke City Council candidate in the Feb. 13, 2021 by-election. Photo: Contributed

Age: 59
Occupation: Semi-retired (Summer work with Alpine Club of Canada, Kain hut custodian, Bugaboos.)
Current federal and/or provincial political party membership: No answer provided.

Revelstoke Mountaineer: Why are you seeking the city councillor position?

Alistair Taylor: The vacant council seat came at a time when I was at a loose end and felt like participating.

RM: If you had to choose just one thing, which issue most motivates your decision to run for council? Please describe your approach to that issue if elected.

AT: A strong community is my greatest wish for Revelstoke, and I feel that is coming under increasing pressure as we become a tourist destination and a very expensive place to live.

In your-best case scenario, what will the community of Revelstoke be like in 10 years and how will your actions as councillor help Revelstoke achieve your best-case scenario?

Best case scenario for Revelstoke in 10 years would be to be a strong sustainable community of wisdom and enlightenment, where everyone is welcome, and everyone has food and shelter. It would not be money driven, and there would be no excessive development. Music, laughter, and love would fill the air. Community spirit would be high. Elders would be cherished and looked after, children too, in a healthy, environmentally sustainable way. Bees would be buzzing and bird song abundant. Citizens might wear flowers in their air. (Call me a crazy dreamer if you like…)

In your role as councillor, what specific actions will you take to address climate change?

Climate change is probably the biggest issue of our time. We need to up the tempo of taking action. We need to do a lot more than just cycle to work for a week and recycle. We need to involve everyone and have a vision for the future, on how to live sustainably while doing more with less. (Or perhaps doing less, with less, but still being happy!).
On the other hand, we could adopt the “brace for impact” position; put our head between our knees, and get ready to kiss our ass goodbye. But, I’d prefer to be upbeat and optimistic.

It’s our choice, and in my opinion, we need to do everything we can towards a healthier future, starting now. Dial back our rampant consumerism, etc., and get with it regarding passive housing and electric vehicles, amongst other issues.

What will your approach to communication and engagement be as councillor? Please describe in detail what voters can expect from you in terms of communication as an individual councillor, if elected.

My preferred method of communication is in person. Catch me on a street corner at various times of the day. Go for a cuppa, or a beer. See me in the front yard at Viers Crescent, or ring the doorbell. I can also do phone, email, farcebook, and messenger. I would like to think that I’m an approachable, personable, sort of a guy. It’s not that hard to find me. I walk in the woods a lot. Always happy to talk with anyone.

Revelstoke is not affordable for all, including many residents who form the community. How will you address affordability issues as councillor?

Affordability is a very interesting topic. It’s almost as if we need a whole societal rethink. There is a widening disconnect between the “haves” and the “have-nots”. I am a working-class socialist Scotsman, and there’s something about the relatively recent rise of the “billionaire-class” that turns my stomach. There is plenty of wealth to be going around, and we should be looking to do the greatest good for the greatest amount of people.

Residents identify housing, including housing affordability, as a priority issue. Please explain your approach to housing and any housing objectives you have as councillor.

In the rental sector, it would be good if there was less price gouging by private landlords. Money isn’t everything, and greed is not a good thing. If a tenant had an extra $100 or $200 saved on their rent, that money will still go into the local economy, as people need to eat and buy stuff. We could certainly do with more small units, and less multi-million-dollar mansions… The housing issue is a complex problem, and I’d like to sit down and listen to people, and learn more.

The city has several public processes ongoing, such as the Official Community Plan and the Liquid Waste Management Plan, and others waiting in the wings. Can you describe your approach to future-focused municipal policy and planning?

As a citizen of Revelstoke, I know that there is a perception that things move very slowly at local government levels. Although Covid has complicated everything for the meantime, hopefully we will get back to the days of robust public engagement. (The proposed highway shopping mall of a few years ago springs to mind, as does a treehouse hotel). I would like to see more urgency with completing the OCP.

Please tell us about your community involvement, such as positions you’ve held on volunteer community boards or committees.

Revelstoke has been home since 2003. In the early years, I would typically be away for half the year for work purposes, often to Antarctic or Greenland. The first club I joined was the Revelstoke Flying Club, where guys like Ken Kushner and Ed Ross provided a warm welcome. Wanda Hill was an early ski-touring partner, and introduced me to many good friends. In the past few years, I have attended karate class, taught by Chic Sharp. Presently, I help out at the Hospital Auxiliary Thrift store, on a drop-in basis. I have never been a board member of any club or committee. I’m a member of the Nordic Ski club, the Local Food Initiative, and the North Columbia Environmental Society (now Wildsight).

Is there anything you would like to disclose to voters that you feel would be a distraction to council if revealed after the election? In your response, please assume that some residents may not know anything about you.

It is quite likely that I will want to visit my immediate family (father, and younger sister) in Scotland later this year, should travel restrictions be eased. This could entail a 2-month physical absence from Revelstoke. However, although there is an 8-hour time difference, it would still be possible to remain connected to city affairs and duties.

What is your understanding of conflict-of-interest rules? Are there any subject areas you anticipate will require to recuse yourself from discussions?

I don’t foresee any problems with any conflict-of -interest issues.

For voter information on eligibility, or how, where and when to vote, please see this link to City of Revelstoke 2021 by-election information.