Victory Celebration Announcement!
I am so humbled by the support we have achieved.
What a great victory, made possible by your support and encouragement. Thank you!
For me, it is now time to put all my efforts into making our new LCC the best it can be. With your help, cheerleading, and whispering to me when I have gotten it all wrong, I am confident that, together, Salt Spring can develop an LCC that fulfills its potential.
I'd also like to thank the captains of our campaign ship, Bruce Cameron and Kaeli Yarwood, who skillfully navigated us past reefs to this sweet success.
I couldn’t have done it without each and every one of you - so a heartfelt - Thank-you!
Now for the fun part...
We'd like you to join us in celebration:
When? Thursday, June 22nd, 4-6pm
Where? 121 Upper Ganges Road 250-537-4700
Why? To celebrate the success of the LCC campaign 2023.
We are inviting your new commissioners to join us for refreshments and lively conversation.
Since democracy comes at a cost, we will also be paying bills, so donations will be gratefully accepted.
A sincere Thank You to all of you for a resounding victory and hope to see you on June 22nd at Harbour House!
~ Gayle
What is the LLC?
The Local Community Commission is a new form of governance Salt Spring voters approved in October 2022. See the first coverage of the race, link to the Driftwood article announcing the LCC election date. It will establish four elected commissioners to deal with numerous issues, replacing the former system where volunteer commissioners were appointed by the local CRD Director.
The intent of the LCC is to bring more accountability and responsiveness to discussions and decisions made on our behalf at the CRD. Gayle was instrumental in the push to see an LCC established, facilitating the governance working group and chairing the LCC advisory group.
Gayle believes in...
Transparency
Transparency not mysteries when it comes to the complicated budget reports currently used by CRD and its former commissions.
Volunteerism
Volunteerism not over-reliance on overstretched CRD staff resources, to provide good value and maximize the efforts of our many talented and engaged citizens.
Results matter
Results matter so it will be crucial for the LCC (and the broader CRD) to develop a comprehensive set of measurements for all initiatives, and track progress each year.
Prioritization
Prioritization not paralysis through planning. Delegating and overseeing groups of volunteers and setting realistic action targets should be one of the first tasks of the new LCC.
Who is that with the smile and silver curly hair?
Who are you, Gayle?
Most of all, I love my adventurous husband, Howard, my adult children, almost-10-year old granddaughter, and amazing Portuguese Water Dog pup, Abby. They ground me, tell me when I am wrong - even pup Abby! - and fill my life with love.
I am quirky, celebrating thrift shop treasures with glee, loving stealth camping in our VW Camper, and relishing an odd pleasure from being status-conscious Santa Barbara’s first live aboard Dean.
Tenacious, married for 53 years, and still counting, even though it has been to two different husbands :)
Stamina with humour, living for in a tent for five months and then a 200-square foot cottage for seven years while building our Salt Spring home.
Hardworking, to a fault, just ask anyone who knows me. . . .
I also bring that sometimes annoying ability to think out of the box to come up with unique solutions and my core commitment to create a respectful environment for all.
Why do I want to become one of four commissioners?
Given the daunting challenges of becoming one of the first four Local Commissioners, I have been thinking about how to better address serious CRD service delivery concerns for a very long time. . .
Since the Community Alliance broached this discussion just before the incorporation referendum in 2017 and, more intensely, while facilitating the hardworking Governance Working Group in 2018. As a Local Community Commission (LCC) emerged as a promising option, I also recently served as chair of the LCC Advisory Group, as well as an enthusiastic campaigner leading up to the referendum .
Will the LCC fulfill its promise?
I believe that depends upon who is elected. I am willing to be one of the team of Local Commissioners, working very hard to ensure that it achieves that potential.
Why do I think I would be an effective local commissioner?
I am a fairly rare combination of patience, tenacity, and hard work.
My craziest example of hard work and tenacity is getting my doctorate while also raising three very young children. Probably the hardest thing I have ever done, especially when my 8-year old son was hospitalized with kidney failure during an 18-unit, semester. I refused to quit. Instead, I figured out that I could survive if I cared for my children all day, worked on my dissertation from 10-3 and slept from 3-6. Could I do that again? Would I do that again? A resounding No! But, it does illustrate the hard work and a tenacity that I bring to everything to which I commit.
This tenacity served me well as Dean of Santa Barbara City College, resulting in the development of over 50 programs, while also supervising nearly 600, managing a $6 million budget, and writing - and being awarded - over $13 million in competitive grants.
It also fueled me to write and publish eight books since I retired; serve on Islands Trust Advisory Planning Committee; boards of Islands Pathways, Transition Salt Spring, Community Alliance, and the Chamber; and also work as a Commissioner for both PARC (2008-2013) and Transportation (2019 - 2023.
And, I work tirelessly each week with ASK Salt Spring (link).