Six Nelson residents declared their candidacy for city council this week, while one incumbent, councillor Michael Dailly, has decided not to run again.
Michelle Hillaby came to Nelson about six years ago to raise a family. As a mother of two young kids, she’s active in the youth sports scene as well as being an active athlete herself.
“Initially, it was the pure silliness of the issues around Lions Park and little league baseball that spurred me to say ‘enough is enough with this council,’ and CORE was the perfect fit for my views on how this amazing little city could be run. Everyone I talk to has variations of the same story, no matter their background or interest: the city is heading in the wrong direction.”
Charles Jeanes has run for Nelson council several times unsuccessfully. He says his platform is summed up by Robin Hood’s motto: take from the rich and give to the poor.
“Nelson council cannot get a grasp on the one per cent’s property, using taxes to fairly apportion social wealth. Nevertheless I would never stop trying, as a city councillor, to do something for social justice in spite of systemic inequality.”
Rik Logtenberg is a software engineer and tech entrepreneur. He’s the CEO of Timely, a calendar software company and event platform.
“I’m extremely concerned about climate change, particularly how our city is going to adapt to a future of wildfires and floods. I think entrepreneurs, including tech people, in partnership with government, have a big role to play in developing an industry that’s dedicated to getting us ready. In my mind, everything else we care about — culture, affordability, social issues, youth, seniors — will get overwhelmed if we’re struggling for breath or obsessed about saving our homes. And I want to make sure that Nelson is as prosperous, resilient, affordable for the next generation as it is for us today.”
Leslie Payne moved to Nelson seven years ago after working in sales and marketing for a number of computer software companies in Silicon Valley. When she was pregnant with her third child, she decided to leave corporate life behind and devote herself to volunteer work and full time motherhood.
“I fell in love with this unique community and chose to make Nelson home. Now it’s time for me to give back to this amazing place. Jacques-Yves Cousteau once said, ‘People protect what they love.’ I want to join the team at city hall to ensure that our community is making strategic choices for the present and for the future, strengthening the values that we cherish and protecting the home that we love.”
Cal Renwick is a recently-retired entrepreneur who has owned and run a number of car dealerships in Nelson, most recently Nelson Toyota. He was also one of the principal owners of the Nelson Brewing Company until 2016.
“When I look at how Baker Street has been allowed to deteriorate, with aggressive panhandling and open drug use and violence; when I hear tourists for the first time ever saying that they won’t come back to Nelson; and when I hear residents say that they are scared to visit their own downtown, it’s clear that new leadership is needed at council.”
Stephanie Wiggins is the mother of a two year-old child and works in the early childhood education sector. She describes herself as part of the LGBTQ community, and as an advocate for issues related to poverty, housing, and children.
“My family — Markin — has been in this area for generations, and I’ve seen a change for the worse in how things are being handled on issues important to people like me. Red tape is adding expense and delays to affordable housing developments; increased costs like water, sewer and garbage fees add expense for landlords which gets passed on to tenants, and those are just a few of the concerns I’d like to work on with my colleagues in CORE.”
These candidates join current councillor Robin Cherbo, who has decided to run for re-election.
Three candidates — Wiggins, Renwick and Hillaby — are running under the banner of CORE, which describes itself as a political party that is “non-partisan and crosses all political and socioeconomic boundaries” with the “common theme of dissatisfaction with the present council’s leadership.”
Dailly said he is not running again because he needs more time for his family.
“My family life has changed substantially,” he said. “In the past four years my wife and I have been blessed with the birth of four grandchildren and our daughter is expecting twins this September. I have decided that my priority at this time is to be the best grandfather I can be. The decision to not stand for re-election was one that I gave a great deal of thought.”
Prospective candidates have until Sept. 14 to register with Elections BC. Voting day is Oct. 20.
