Hold Me Accountable: 10 Commitments
Transparency and access to information are essential to a strong democracy. Voters should know what to expect from the people they elect and be able to judge whether those expectations are being met. People should be able to see what their representatives are doing on their behalf, understand why decisions are made and judge the results.
I should be held accountable for the attention I give an issue, the questions I ask, the proposals I bring forward, the positions I take, the decisions I make, and the way I report on my work. Of course, a councillor is only one member of Council, so final results typically depend on Council as a whole, City staff, other levels of government and sometimes circumstances that are beyond anyone’s control.
These ten commitments set out specific ways I expect to be held accountable if I am elected.
How I will report back
To support residents in holding me accountable, I will maintain a website and publish one update each month describing the work I have done on these commitments, important new information that surfaces, and the next steps I intend to take. I will also report on other issues that I work on as a councillor.
I will use the best information available to report on progress and be clear about what has been proposed, approved, completed and what we still don’t know.
I will explain important votes and decisions, including the things that shaped my position.*
Once a year, I will review all ten commitments. I will report what I have done, what has changed, where progress has been limited and what I will focus on next as new issues arise.
*Some matters must legally be discussed in closed meetings. I will protect confidential and personal information while explaining as much as I lawfully can.
1. Keep water security on the public agenda
My commitment:
I will maintain a regular focus on water security and report what I learn and do.
Why this matters
Water connects almost everything: our homes, agriculture, businesses, ecosystems, firefighting and future growth. The decisions we make now will help determine how well Vernon responds to drought and changing water conditions.
What I will do
- Follow relevant decisions and reports from the City, Greater Vernon Water, RDNO and the Province.
- Ask how proposed growth might affect water supply, infrastructure, fire protection and long-term costs.
- Pay attention to conservation, leak reduction, reclaimed water, storage, stormwater capture and environmental flows.
- Explain the positions I take on significant water decisions.
What I will track
When reliable information becomes available, I will report significant changes in water supply, restrictions, planning, infrastructure proposals and government decisions. My monthly update will describe the water-related work I have done.
2. Track housing results—not just announcements and approvals
My commitment:
I will track Vernon’s housing progress using the best information available and explain what the numbers do and don’t tell us.
Why this matters
Approvals are important, but they aren’t homes. We need to know what is actually being completed and whether it meets the needs of renters, families, seniors, people with disabilities and people looking for a realistic path to ownership.
What I will do
- Distinguish between proposed homes, approved developments, building permits and completed net new homes.
- Follow the mix of rental, ownership, below-market, supportive and family-sized housing when that information is available.
- Identify important gaps in the information, including whether new housing is meeting the needs of families, seniors and people with disabilities.
- Explain how housing needs, infrastructure, affordability and the risk that existing residents could lose their homes or be forced to move affect my decisions.
What I will track
I will update the details when new information is published rather than promise figures that aren’t yet available.
3. Ask consistent questions about major growth
My commitment:
I will apply the same core questions to major growth proposals and explain how the answers shaped my vote.
Why this matters
Major developments can affect taxes, infrastructure, water, transportation, natural areas and the character of our community for decades. Using a consistent set of questions makes my decisions easier to understand and reduces the chance that important costs or consequences will be missed.
What I will ask
- Does the proposal follow Vernon’s Official Community Plan and other adopted plans?
- Can existing and planned infrastructure support it?
- What would it mean for water supply and fire protection?
- How would environmentally sensitive areas and natural assets be affected?
- What lasting public benefits would it provide?
- Who would pay the initial and long-term costs?
- Other questions that are specific to individual proposals.
What I will report
For significant proposals, I will explain which issues mattered most and why I voted as I did.
4. Explain major budget and spending decisions
My commitment:
I will look carefully at major spending decisions and explain the financial reasoning behind my decisions.
Why this matters
Financial responsibility means keeping spending and the taxes needed to support it as low as we reasonably can without weakening important services, neglecting infrastructure or undermining the City’s long-term viability. It means setting clear priorities, seeking good value, asking who benefits and who pays, and avoiding costs that are simply pushed onto future taxpayers.
What I will do
- Ask about the full cost of major projects, including construction, financing, operation, maintenance and eventual replacement.
- Identify the funding source and the effect on taxes, reserves, borrowing or other services.
- Ask who benefits, who pays, what alternatives were considered and how the decision affects our ability to fund other priorities.
- Consider the risks of delaying maintenance or using temporary grants and reserves for ongoing services.
- Explain my position on major budget choices in plain language.
What I will track
My annual review will identify the major financial decisions I participated in, the positions I took and the reasons for them.
5. Clarify how Vernon’s responses to safety, cleanliness, and homelessness fit together
My commitment:
As soon as I can, but definitely within my first year, I will publish a plain-language account of who is responsible for what, where I think the gaps are and whether stronger coordination is needed.
Why this matters
Vernon already has several partnerships, outreach teams and City programs addressing different parts of these issues. Lots is being done, but many of us find it difficult to understand how the pieces fit together or who is accountable for results.
Homelessness, addictions, mental health, public cleanliness and personal safety are connected, but they require different responses. We need to understand the current system before creating another committee or program.
What I will do
- Meet with people involved in the current partnerships, outreach services, housing programs, community-safety work and downtown services.
- Identify the responsibilities of the City, provincial agencies, police, health services, housing providers and community organizations.
- Ask where responsibilities overlap, where important gaps remain and whether existing structures have the authority and resources to address them.
- Identify measurable results that can be reported publicly while protecting personal privacy.
- Publish what I learn, including whether better coordination is required and what change I would support.
Throughout this work, I will judge safety concerns by behaviour, not by appearance or housing status. Dangerous or unlawful behaviour requires an enforcement response, while homelessness, illness and poverty require appropriate services and support.
How you can hold me accountable
By the end of my first year, I will publish:
- a clear description of the main organizations and coordinating structures;
- an explanation of their different responsibilities;
- an account of the gaps, overlaps and unanswered questions I identify;
- a statement about the results that can reasonably be measured and reported; and
- my conclusion about whether Vernon needs a stronger coordinating structure.
My monthly updates will report on the meetings I have held, the questions I have raised, the progress I am making toward completing this public account and the date I expect to finish.
6. Check how transportation and infrastructure decisions affect the ways people get around
My commitment:
When transportation and infrastructure decisions come to Council, I will assess how they affect people who walk, use mobility devices, cycle, take transit or drive. Before I vote, I will explain the main benefits, particularly related to safety and accessibility, as well as the costs and the trade-offs I see.
Why this matters
People experience Vernon’s transportation system differently. Some walk, use mobility devices, cycle, take transit or drive, and many use more than one of those options. A dependable system must also account for winter conditions, construction, deliveries and access to work, services and community destinations. Safety and the ability to participate equitably in community life matter.
What I will do
- Ask how major road and transportation decisions affect safety, accessibility, transit, walking, cycling, driving, parking, loading and emergency access.
- Treat year-round maintenance and snow clearing as accessibility issues.
- Follow progress on the City’s Transportation Plan using available public reports.
- At least twice each year, travel a selected route with residents who experience barriers and report what I learn.
- Explain how accessibility, cost, safety and long-term planning influenced my position on significant transportation decisions.
What I will track
I will report the routes reviewed, recurring barriers identified, significant transportation decisions and any reported progress in addressing those barriers.
7. Listen regularly to young people and young adults
My commitment:
I will hold at least three focused conversations each year with young people and young adults about living, working and building a future in Vernon, and I will work to support and/or build formal and informal structures that nurture the next generation of leaders.
Why this matters
Young people should have a voice in shaping the community they may build their lives in. Housing, employment, transportation, recreation, culture and belonging can all affect whether they remain in or return to Vernon. We all will benefit from their ideas, energy, and action now and in the years to come.
What I will do
- Create informal opportunities for younger residents to speak directly about their experiences and priorities.
- Reach beyond the young people who are already involved in political or civic organizations.
- Ask what helps them feel connected to Vernon and what makes it harder to build a life here.
- Look for practical ways to support young adults who want to make a difference and take on leadership roles in Vernon.
- Bring relevant themes into Council discussions and explain where the City has a role.
- Report what I hear without identifying participants.
What I will track
I will report on the themes raised and how those ideas influenced my questions or decisions.
8. Keep downtown revitalization as a sustained priority
My commitment:
Within the first four months of the Council term, I will bring forward a proposal for a time-limited Downtown Vernon Revitalization Action Table. I will also continue listening directly to the people who live, work and spend time downtown.
Why this matters
Downtown belongs to the whole city. It supports businesses, employment, housing, services, arts, culture and community events. Good work is already happening, but better coordination could help us agree on priorities, assign responsibility and measure progress.
What I will do
- Propose a temporary table involving the City, Downtown Vernon Association, Chamber of Commerce, businesses, property owners, residents, cultural organizations, accessibility representatives, and other relevant participants.
- Propose that it recommend no more than five priorities for a two-year period, with a lead organization, partners, timetable, estimated cost and measure of progress for each.
- Hold at least two focused downtown conversations each year.
- Give particular attention to connecting the Cultural Centre with surrounding businesses, public spaces, events, parking, transit and accessible routes.
- Ask how City actions can support storefront use, downtown housing, events and active public spaces while staying within the municipal role.
What I will track
I will report what happens with the Action Table proposal, what I hear through downtown conversations and the actions I take in response. I will be clear about what I can do personally and what requires a decision by Council.
9. Check our readiness before each summer season
My commitment:
Before each summer season, I will review Vernon’s publicly available preparations for wildfire, extreme heat, smoke and drought and report what I find.
Why this matters
The best time to find a gap in an emergency plan is before the emergency. Residents should know what plans exist, where to find information and whether important questions remain unanswered.
What I will do
- Review public information from the City and other responsible agencies about emergency communication, evacuation, cooling and clean-air spaces, water restrictions and support for people who may need extra help.
- Ask the responsible staff or agency for clarification when responsibilities, resources or public instructions are unclear.
- Ask how emergency plans account for people without vehicles, people with disabilities, seniors and people without secure housing.
- Report what I learn, including improvements already underway, gaps that remain and decisions expected to come before Council.
What I will track
I will publish one concise readiness update each year using available information.
10. Make myself regularly available to the public
My commitment:
I will provide regular, posted opportunities for residents to speak with me outside formal Council meetings. I will ensure my official email address and mailing address are easy to find, and I will respond to messages in a timely way.
Why this matters
People should not need a personal connection or a detailed knowledge of City Hall to speak with a councillor. Regular availability can help bring concerns forward earlier and make local government easier to approach.
What I will do
- Hold at least ten posted public availability sessions each year.
- Offer both in-person and online opportunities and vary the locations when practical.
- Welcome individual concerns as well as broader policy discussions.
- Help people find the appropriate City process or contact when an issue is administrative rather than political.
- Report repeated community themes while protecting individual privacy.
- I will respond to all emails and letters received.
- I will respond within five business days, even if my first response is to explain that I need more time or information.
- If I am away on Council business or holiday, an automated message will indicate when I expect to respond personally.
What I will track
My annual review will include the number of meeting sessions held, a description of the general participation and the recurring issues people raised.