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Donald Flintoff

Independent for Richmond Mayor
My plan for Richmond is to develop a sustainable growth plan for the next generation. We can no longer keep adding infrastructure and expecting the increased revenue from population growth (taxes) to keep up. Expansion on the island is limited!

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Misc. topics

Affordable Housing

• Review the demolition policy for existing housing and consider joint or shared ownership of the existing housing stock within single family zoning. This will allow the next generation to build equity instead of renting. • Review the needs for commercial zoning. Establish protected commercial zoning. • Strike a public advisory committee on the above.

• Review the demolition policy for existing housing and consider joint or shared ownership of the existing housing stock within single family zoning. This will allow the next generation to build equity instead of renting.

• Review the needs for commercial zoning. Establish protected commercial zoning.

• Strike a public advisory committee on the above.

Arts and Culture

Arts and Culture - Centre of Excellence

Establish a Centre of Excellence by opening up the "old senior centre" for their use and expanded programs.

Cannabis Legalisation & Policy

Cautious Policy

The impact on our youth is unknown. This needs both more public input and expert opinions.

City Police

A city police force will increase our taxes even more with  only marginal improvements. A local police force may be taken over by a larger Metro police force and lose our voice in policing.

Community Safety and Security

RCMP

Seek an improved relationship with the RCMP to increase their presence and effectiveness within Richmond.

Community-Building

Bylaw Enforcement - Develop and enforce bylaws for “Airbnb” and other internet offerings. Create an applicable property tax scheme for Airbnbs. Proactively enforce other bylaws

Environment & Sustainability

Megahomes

• Place a limit on the footprint, height and volume of Megahomes.

• Review footprint and height issues.

• Review Richmond’s Good Neighbour Program* (Construction Intrusion into Communities) and create a bylaw after consulting with the public.

Farmland and the ALR

ALR

• Place a moratorium on issuing building permits that exceed the current provincial guidelines until the results of the provincial government’s review have been issued.

• Obtain a “Ministerial Order” applicable to Richmond to permit the BC Assessment Authority to tax existing non-farm use lands, thatexceed the current Provincial guideline for house size, within the ALR, at Richmond property tax rates.

• Those adjacent ALR houses, such as No. 2 Rd, will connect to the Richmond sewers instead of using septic fields to avoid a future public health issue.

Good Governance

Accountability

Open City Hall to the public by providing good governance through Transparency, Integrity, Accountability & Public Consultation and the use of town hall meetings.

Tighten up spending at City Hall including a thorough review of the salaries paid and the implementation of a continuous improvement “Kaizen” program.

Review the appointment of the auditors and past expenditures.

Publicly available reports for all staff trips.

An Advisory OVAL Committee to assess all financial commitments and viability of the OVAL going forward.

An Advisory Lulu Island Energy Corporation (LIEC) Committee to assess all financial commitments and viability of the LIEC continuing as a City corporation.

Place LIEC within the purview of the British Columbia Utilities Commission to ensure proper oversight of rates charged.

End senior City staff positions with other owned operations under the “1A5B“ – (One Administration-Five Businesses) concept so that they can focus solely on serving the City’s needs.

Homelessness

Improve Shelter Options

Find other ways of increasing shelter options during harsh winter conditions.

Pedestrian Safety

Traffic Crossing Signals - Will be checked for full functionality

Public Engagement

Public Consultation and Ward Representation

Increase the number of citizen committees. Reinstate the Advisory Planning Committee and create a new Advisory Financial Committee to review all spending, a new Advisory OVAL Committee and a new Advisory Lulu Island Energy Committee to review costs and rates.

Create an Advisory Transit Committee to review Bus/Canada Line proposed changes.

After public consultation, create a ward system in Richmond to improve representation of the different areas. Four seats on Council will be ward representatives the remaining will remain “at large”.

If successful, provide a smooth and informed transition for the next incoming Council. I only plan on serving one four year term.

Mentoring of new incoming Councillors.

Public Transit

I am a strong supporter of electrified-mass transit throughout the lower mainland. The cost of building bridges and roads that must be added more than once in a lifetime needs reconsideration. Our younger generations have shown as the way to achieve this by supporting car-sharing instead of individual car ownership.

Recreation

OVAL & Community Centres

Should the OVAL continue to be subsidized? How long should taxpayers continue to subsidize the OVAL?

Should the Volunteer Boards at the Community Centres be given more authority over the facilities and programs?

Recycling

Share Shed

I will bring in a share shed policy for Lynas Lane. Certain iteems will be set aside for those who made have a need for them.

Sewage and Water Infrastructure

Utility rate structure will be reviewed.

Water pressure regulators will be installed in meter boxes to protect the water line to the house from failures.

Small Business

Commercial Zoning

To retain current businesses and encourage more businesses, a special commercial zoning bylaw needs to be developed.

Sports and Leisure

Arena and Community Centres

Improve the conditions of the existing facilities and allow the volunteer Boards more financial control.

Taxes

Property Taxes

• Change the current Consumer Price Index (CPI) + 1% property tax methodology to 1.1 X CPI

• Refund surplus taxes collected instead of using them to fund Council’s/Staffs” wish list.

• Cease issuing of demolition permits for existing housing stock in infill areas until a thorough public consultation has been performed.

• Investigate the return of about $1 billion in property tax surpluses.

Traffic

Transit

The traffic snarl can only be improved when we take transit now, and now transit is full.

Biography

submitted by the candidate or their team

I’m a professional engineer (lifetime member) with experience as a director, project manager, operations superintendent, and regulatory analyst.

Formerly, I was a member of the Richmond Advisory Planning Committee, Richmond representative on the YVR Aeronautical Noise Committer, and a former provincial Liberal riding president for Richmond Centre.

Currently, I am a Director on the Board of the Thompson Community Centre.

Also, I am a founding member of the Richmond Taxpayers Alliance which may have been responsible for the City removing itself from a questionable situation of buying equipment from a private company 50% owned by the OVAL for the OVAL-ROX in which the City staff was involved.

I've sufficient experience to manage budgets in both the private and public sectors.

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