Nancy Cooper laughs when asked about highlights of 2015 as mayor of the City of Salmon Arm.
“One of the projects I’m so excited about is the Syme Bridge – we built a bridge,” she chuckles, with arms spread wide. “It’s a great bridge.”
She notes that Rene Talbot, Area D director for the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, was at first hesitant to approve funds for the bridge that serves both Area D and Salmon Arm residents. But in the end he agreed to chip in $100,000 – and she’s appreciative.
Cooper also points to construction activity as a highlight.
“The whole construction industry…, we’re seeing more family homes being built and multi-family homes than we’ve seen for a while.”
Although construction values city-wide were down in 2015 compared to 2014, she notes big projects in 2014 boosted the numbers, such as the new CSRD and school district buildings.
“To me when you start seeing new family homes built and subdivisions – that’s really important.”
Other items she lists include the development of the airport master plan.
“We really want to be able to increase the size of the airport – there’s a lot of demand for hangars. A lot of businesses would like to see a scheduled flight,” she said, noting that’s likely far in the future.
She laughs when she recounts the city receiving the Communities in Bloom award – “that was pretty exciting.”
Cooper is also pleased with the implementation of a technology committee.
She says she began speaking to Lana Fitt, economic development manager, about the idea as “we do have the best fibre optics to our door.”
“We have an environment committee, a social issues committee… I thought this was one that was missing…,” she explains.
Cooper is also pleased with the paying off of debts.
“One thing my husband always points to is the financial,” she smiles. “We did the foreshore promenade – that debenture was paid out. In 2016, we’re paying out another debt… that reduces debt per capita.”
Cooper also mentions community engagement, referring to public meetings about cell towers, dogs at the foreshore, and holding a council meeting at the library.
She was happy to be part of what she considers “almost a historical document” when four First Nations bands, two regional districts and four municipalities entered a partnership to support a regional trail strategy.
Asked about the City of Salmon Arm’s decision to apply for a hotel tax on its own rather than as a part of a regional application headed by Shuswap Tourism, for which the city received some criticism, she replied: “I have taken a little bit of heat for it. Sometimes things are just a process for people to understand… If this was happening the first year I was elected, it would have been a lot more stressful. I now realize it’s a process; sometimes people don’t understand, you just keep going through the steps.”
Cooper says the best thing about Salmon Arm is the way people “step up to the plate” to help out.
“In talking to other communities, they can’t believe what Salmon Arm does.”
Overall, Cooper agrees with a description of her job voiced by former mayor Dick Smith.
“It’s the best job in the world.”
