The following is a Q&A that was distributed to all Gibsons candidates.
Candidate name
Stafford Lumley
Age
57
Occupation (s)
Restaurateur – own and operate Smitty's Oyster House. Current Councillor.
Which position are you running for?
Councillor
Incumbent? If so how many years on council?
Yes
Live in Gibsons? For how long?
Since 2003
What are your priorities if elected?
Housing, affordability for our youth and seniors. Ferries – pressure gov. to fix and prioritize SC residents. STRs – Bring back and make less restrictive.
Should Gibsons facilitate creation of more affordable housing? How?
Gibsons really has very little land left, it has to work closely with surrounding municipalities and BC housing to create more housing (eg. workforce) where possible. Vacancy tax is also an option. Last census included 200 empty homes in Gibsons.
What should council be doing to protect the Town’s water supply?
Watershed agreement. This will protect the aquifer recharge area, which is our source. Continue to monitor delivery systems and encourage smart use of our water.
Should Gibsons prepare for climate change? If so how?
Everyone should. We should make every effort to support through our decision process.
How can council mitigate the many upward pressures on property taxes?
Only way is to encourage density where possible. Town has no control over BC Assessment, or inflation. Council can watch its spending, nogotiate contracts and labour agreements smartly.
How would you balance pushback on development with need for housing?
Encourage developers to include units ( not just cash ) in their community amenity contributions.
Who else is running for Gibsons council? See profiles for David Croal, Annemarie De Andrade, Desmond Delaney, Blake MacLeod, Bob Morris, Greig Soohen, Christi Thompson, Leslie Thomson, Silas White and Phil Yeung.
