Three more names were added to the list of residents vying for a seat on District of Squamish council this week. Semi-retired lawyer Doug Race, local writer Bryan Raiser and current councillor Patricia Heintzman confirmed this week they will be campaigning for votes as councillors in the upcoming municipal election. Doug Race, who announced his candidacy on Thursday (Sept. 11), came to the political forefront in 2005 over a contentious proposal that would see the district's Squamish Oceanfront Development Corporation partner with a private developer to build on the municipal Oceanfront lands. The issue propelled Race into municipal affairs by backing Greg Gardner in his run for a council seat during a 2006 byelection, with a platform calling for more transparency in the partnership process."I have always taken a keen interest in municipal governance and have watched how councils have influenced the direction of the community," he stated in a press release. "This is the first time I have had the time to consider committing at this level."Race is now a director of the Squamish Oceanfront Development Corporation and has been actively involved in community affairs including as a past president of the Rotary Club of Squamish, co-chair of the Squamish Hospital fundraising drive in 1997, a founding director of the Squamish Community Foundation, a member of the organizing committee of the Squamish Triathlon, and most recently as a founding director of Callaghan Valley Event Organizing Society (CALOC). Race said he "would be honoured" to represent the community on the challenges Squamish faces, including "rapid growth, affordable housing, budget constraints and confidence in community leadership."A long time community activist, Raiser is jumping into the municipal race for a third bid at a council seat. In 1999, Raiser came 15th out of 16 candidates, and in 2005 he was eighth out of 14 candidates - 37 votes away from a seat on council."I think that balance is needed in this age of tremendous growth in the Sea to Sky Corridor," said Raiser. "We should not stop growth but we should manage it in a sustainable and progressive manner that will benefit all of the residents of Squamish."Perhaps best known for his bi-weekly editorial columns in The Chief newspaper, Raiser has been involved in a variety of community organizations, such as SORCA, the Squamish Lions, the Corridor Trail Select Committee and the Committee on Squamish Business Development."We don't need politicians who only look after one person or group - we need team players," he said.Heintzman shared similar views for a cohesive council, and dismissed past statements made by other council members describing the current group as divisive. "The irony is [the former council slate] New Directions was criticized because there didn't seem to be any discussion or debate and they were too onside with each other and they did things that perhaps the community didn't share their vision. So this council came in and we're all very individual and there's a perception that we are divisive but if you actually look at the big picture stuff, there's consensus there."Heintzman she decided to run for another term as councillor in order to keep the town moving in "the right direction." "I would really hate for them to lose momentum so I think that my voice is still needed there," she said. "It's no great secret that I tend to lean towards things that are environmentally responsible or a little more forward thinking in terms of energy efficiency or standards we need to achieve. I find we're just on the cusp of realizing our potential there." Despite occasional frustration over the pace of setting policy, Heintzman said she's learned that certain concepts need time to sink in."You can't just come out and throw a widely progressive policy out there because it takes time for people to understand it and it takes time for people to actually accept it and change their behaviour. You can't force people to do it overnight because than people will react negatively and you won't achieve anything." But changes do need to take place, such as at the staffing level when it comes to "customer service." "You have to instill in everyone in the organization a certain philosophy of how to do business. That's how we could do better for sure."The other confirmed council candidates are Greg Gardner for mayor, and Mike Jenson, Corinne Lonsdale and Catherine Jackson for councillor. Rumours are rampant over several more possible candidates, while others who have expressed interest, such as Paul Lalli, Donna Billy and Ron Balm, have yet to confirm.
