Lee McFadyen, RDOS director candidate for Area “B”
1. What are the top three priorities for your area, as you see it, that you will need to address as regional district director in the next three years?
Obviously, protecting air and water quality are priorities. I have actively worked to protect air and water quality, by, in part, taking a leadership role when activities in the Similkameen Valley threatened air and/or water. Other issues have to do with preserving agriculture, the shared goals of orderly and responsible economic development, public safety, working with the other Similkameen communities, retaining our rural lifestyle, and not being encumbered with endless bylaws. I cannot identify one community concern as more important than another but view them as inter-related and feel that to address one concern, the ripple effect must be considered.
2. The regional district currently spends $12,000 on food and beverages provided to board directors during their 28 meetings per year. Regional bylaws allow for up to $40 per director to be spent on food / beverages per each meeting.
In view of the tight economic times, and noting that the private sector has undergone similar reductions, would you be willing to entertain a recommendation to regional district staff to look at reducing this budget item in 2012 as your collective contribution to reducing the burden on taxpayers during these difficult economic times?
Without hesitation, Yes! Further to reducing the budget, as the representative of our food producing community I would ask that we RDOS directors examine what we are eating and drinking, where it came from and what it costs.
3 What is the most important factor - your main reason - in your decision to run for area director?
Over time, numerous people have told me they thought I would make an excellent area director and have asked if I would let my name stand for Area “B.” I have been leading and volunteering on the main issues of the community for 40 years and I find that I now have the time to increase my active and ongoing commitment to our community through the responsibility of public office.
- Lee McFadyen