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[Central Saanich] Ryan Windsor | Council


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#1 Bernard

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Posted 15 September 2011 - 06:20 PM

Ryan Windsor is seeking election to Central Saanich council in 2011.

Office: Municipal Council
District: Central Saanich
Party: Independent Green

About
I believe in a Central Saanich that is 'BETTER' instead of just 'BIGGER'

Biography
Ryan obtained his degree in Political Science from the University of Western Ontario in 2004. During the course of study he focussed on environmental and natural resources policy.

After completing his time at Western, Ryan returned to BC and spend a few years working in the private sector before deciding to further studies at UBC. This time his focus was on municipal affairs, forestry and energy policy pertaining to British Columbia.

In 2009 he was given the opportunity to work with a small start-up business focussed on promoting home energy efficiency retrofits through appropriate complimentary financing. This contract lasted for one year during which time a great deal of information relating to industry advances was acquired and shared with customers.

Most recently after relocating to a small farm on the Saanich Peninsula his focussed has changed to even more hands on volunteer opportunities to aid environmental causes such as local streamkeepers. Much of the work Ryan has done with the Peninsula Streams organization has involved rebuilding and restoring native habitats and species in and around the Saanich Peninsula. His efforts to better our local environment will no doubt only increase as he moves in to fatherhood.


Political affiliations: not available
Website: facebook page
Resident of: Central Saanich

#2 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 21 September 2011 - 10:27 PM

http://www.cfax1070....news&Itemid=155

"I think that honesty in politics is something that we're lacking, and we see that again in Central Saanich. We are not really listening to the voters in Central Saanich, and that would be a reason to get involved, and I'm one of the few players that has never been involved before at that level, so I decided to get involved"


<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#3 Ryan Windsor

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Posted 17 October 2011 - 08:56 PM

My goal in this campaign is to take the opportunity to hear from local residents and businesses all around Central Saanich.

I have already covered ground speaking directly with residents in Brentwood Bay as well as the Keating Business Park. In the coming weeks I plan to speak with as many businesses as possible in Brentwood, Saanichton and Keating. A balanced approach demands also speaking with the resident taxpayers in our urban areas and the farmers and landowners in the agricultural areas of our community. It is my intention to approach everyone possible and be approachable with the intent of hearing your questions and concerns about any issue in Central Saanich.

For those of us who live here it is important that we are heard so that we know that our council can act upon decisions that make sense for the community and not just special interest groups. For this to happen it is vital that we all recognize that council can only act upon the information that they receive.

Please use this forum along with my website www.voteRyan.ca, Facebook at www.facebook.com/ryan4council and twitter @RyanMWindsor to start the conversation.

#4 Sparky

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Posted 17 October 2011 - 09:10 PM

Welcome to Vibrant Victoria Ryan.

#5 Ryan Windsor

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Posted 17 October 2011 - 10:44 PM

It is an important medium for communicating with the public which council is meant to serve. A big part of my platform is breaking down the barriers between the public and council through use of technology.

#6 EllenGruenbaum

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Posted 18 October 2011 - 12:10 AM

Do you own a business in Central Saanich Ryan?

#7 Ryan Windsor

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Posted 19 October 2011 - 01:27 PM

Ellen,

Thank you for your question, our family owns and operates De Vine Vineyards here in Central Saanich. In addition to that our small farm has a long term goal of planting 200 dwarf variety fruit trees as money allows (we are currently at 15 with another 30 coming in the spring).

#8 Bob Fugger

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Posted 19 October 2011 - 01:42 PM

Ryan - What is your position on the Foundation Organics compost facility being run out of Stanhope Farms? Also, would you support removal of the archaic and environmentally unfriendly bylaw prohibiting farmers to sell their compost - arguably a farm product akin to milk or hay - from the farm gate?

http://vibrantvictor...read.php?t=5044
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#9 Ryan Windsor

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Posted 19 October 2011 - 02:03 PM

Assuming that latest post was directed at me (it said Carl)?

I support farming operations. It is important to have an idea how an operation works. What is a farmer selling from their property and what are they bringing on to the land are important considerations. Organic is my choice, but I know not everyone can or will go that route immediately. Milk is difficult (read: next to impossible) to sell from the farm gate as is meat.

I have long maintained that councils in years past have not been balanced in placing real agricultural operations close to residential housing. Farming operations naturally change over time, a farm is a farm and we must remember that what might seem pastoral one day could easily seem inconvenient down the road. There are no real win-win solutions to mitigate issues between residential and agrarian uses when they are immediately beside each other with no buffer.

Going forward we must ensure that our planning makes sense within the community.

#10 Ryan Smith

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Posted 24 October 2011 - 07:46 PM

Ryan - you mention that you have listened to the existing businesses in Keating Industrial Area. Are you going to meet with those businesses that have left Central Saanich to hear why they left the Keating Industrial Area? Obviously they had concerns that need to be addressed. Have you talked to the business communities in other municipalities to hear what is important to them in selecting a municipality to do business? By simply talking to the present businesses in the Keating Industrial Area, this is an extremely narrow minded approach as you are simply listening to the converted. Or is this your way of simply creating an image that you support the business community for the sole purposes of getting votes, when you really don't care about opinions that could make a positive difference to these very important stakeholders in any municipality? If you truly support the business community and care about making a difference, you should be meeting with the various chambers of commerce in Greater Victoria to hear what is truly important. Again though, that is if you truly care or simply just trying to position yourself for votes.

#11 Ryan Windsor

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Posted 24 October 2011 - 11:18 PM

@Ryan

Thank you for your input.

As it happens I do speak with businesses in neighbouring municipalities. The Keating Business Park along with the Saanichton and Brentwood Bay villages are important parts of the community. They provide necessary services in well managed appropriate zones that are easily accessible for the vast majority of people living here and just outside our municipal boundaries. I appreciate your suggestion of speaking with the various Chambers is a good one. Our winery happens to be a member of the Peninsula Chamber so I am certainly willing speak with them. Their representation and support of small and medium sized locally owned business is a vital part of the community.

The businesses who have chosen to stay are I feel deserving of attention first. However, as you say they are not deserving of exclusive attention. Businesses do move for many reasons. The Home Hardware of course was through unfortunate circumstances forced from their site.

As for the say anything to get elected bit. My response is while I am aware I cannot possibly please everyone all the time, my interest is in incorporating the input of others in to my own principles. If I thought I would be unsuccessful in finding solutions that blend the values and goals of others with my own I would simply not run. With the family business and the raising of a young child along with the various community volunteer positions I fill and my own small acreage/farm I can quite obviously find ways to keep busy. As it is I am willing to give of my time to try to serve the municipality we chose as our home.

Please feel free to ask more questions. I will be at the Stonestreet Cafe in Saanichton from about 12:00pm - 1:30pm tomorrow (Tuesday the 25th) to meet with anyone in the community who wishes to speak with me in person.
Ryan

#12 Ryan Smith

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Posted 26 October 2011 - 06:15 PM

Ryan - with you being a director for the Residents and Ratepayers of Central Saanich Society, obviously you supported the ratepayers initial legal battle against the municipality on the rezoning of the Vantreight property. Then once you lost the initial hearing, obviously you supported the subsequent and recent appeal effort which was declined by the courts.

How much of the Central Saanich residents' taxpayer money are you and the ratepayers responsible for wasting through forcing the municipality to incur unneccesary legal costs to defend the Vantreight rezoning process, as a result of the challenge initiated by you and the rest of the ratepayers directors and members? Residents deserve to know how much this cost our municipality.

What other money of the Central Saanich taxpayers do you plan to waste should people be foolish enough to elect you to council?

#13 Ryan Windsor

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Posted 26 October 2011 - 07:44 PM

Are you suggesting that challenging an action in court should never occur for fear that costs might be incurred.

I do not wish to engage in an argument that attempts to undermine hundreds of years of jurisprudence with you or anyone else simply because the feeling is that an individual or group has no right to challenge the validity of a decision of an taxpayer funded body.

Out of the same respect I show you when you ask me questions I would ask that you not make statements such as "...should people be foolish enough to elect you to council?".

I maintain as I always have that in considering this project several key factors were missed that may well cost the taxpayers of this municipality a great deal of money. There is a precedent now for the delivery of services to other areas of the district with low population that has cost a considerable sum of money. Once you approve such projects what does a future council do if the home buyers come forward asking for those services.

There are developments that make sense in this municipality that I am all in favour of. As a taxpayer this simply will never be one of them.

As far as the costs go. I will release those if I am elected just as I will release all information about the budget and the debt incurred by this last council and any council previous.

I will repeat the statement I made during my announcement on CFAX Central Saanich is a small rural municipality that has made several decisions recently that have already costs taxpayers an extra years budget and will likely cost even more.

You are concerned about the legal expenses, but you fail to realize that I am equally concerned about those expenses. My estimate is that the legal costs are $30,000-$50,000. The RRoCSS will likely have to repay those costs as the Appeal was unsuccessful. At least the Residents and Ratepayers stood up firmly and openly to challenge the validity of a bylaw that did not have even close to unanimous support from this council.

This past council recently gave away $25,000 in building permits because a project went over budget, before that they over spent on the Tennis Courts in Centennial to a tune of $540,000 and they want to spend an undisclosed amount building a skate park and other unnecessary additions in Centennial Park. I can keep going on to items like the overly extravagant Firehall for a municipality of just 16,000 people. We should be looking at sharing services with North Saanich and Sidney while building satellite stations where needed instead of grand centralized structures in and area known as the Southwest quadrant. I think I have made my point.

I pay almost $4000 a year in municipal property tax on a piece of land that I am working to make into a farm so I have Farm Status. If I did not my taxes would be much higher. I have no services and I am not demanding any. What I am after is keeping costs reasonable which in turn keep taxes reasonable. By all means please be upset by $30,000 or $40,000 while the municipality chucks millions in to projects that make no sense.

#14 Ryan Smith

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Posted 26 October 2011 - 08:20 PM

What you fail to see in all those other expenditures that you mentioned is that they add value! Our money that was forced to be spent by the ratepayers, whom we did not elect to represent us, is wasted on defending their / your own personal agenda.

The money returned to the climbing wall adds tremendous value to this community, the tennis court adds tremendous value to this community ... I could go on. This is very simple Ryan - you and your ratepayers friends waste taxpayers money on useless legal costs. If their was anything offside with how the present council handled the Vantright project, the courts would have ruled in your favor. They didn't - twice. I repeat (as you like to say) you and your ratepayers friends waste taxpayer money.

You also fail to see that the debt incurred by this council was because the prior council drained the municipality of most of it's financial reserves while doing very little if anything to address aging infrastructure. It was spent on day to day operations of the municipality, which was likely motivated by your self interest to save a bit on property taxes, as you note in your response above. This is very short term thinking and the present council are paying the price of those terrible short term thinking decisions made by those prior to them.

This municipality needs trustworthy leaders with vision at the council table, not narrow minded individuals acting in self interest.

#15 LJ

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Posted 27 October 2011 - 07:44 PM

What you fail to see in all those other expenditures that you mentioned is that they add value! Our money that was forced to be spent by the ratepayers, whom we did not elect to represent us, is wasted on defending their / your own personal agenda.

The money returned to the climbing wall adds tremendous value to this community, the tennis court adds tremendous value to this community ... I could go on. This is very simple Ryan - you and your ratepayers friends waste taxpayers money on useless legal costs. If their was anything offside with how the present council handled the Vantright project, the courts would have ruled in your favor. They didn't - twice. I repeat (as you like to say) you and your ratepayers friends waste taxpayer money.

You also fail to see that the debt incurred by this council was because the prior council drained the municipality of most of it's financial reserves while doing very little if anything to address aging infrastructure. It was spent on day to day operations of the municipality, which was likely motivated by your self interest to save a bit on property taxes, as you note in your response above. This is very short term thinking and the present council are paying the price of those terrible short term thinking decisions made by those prior to them.

This municipality needs trustworthy leaders with vision at the council table, not narrow minded individuals acting in self interest.



Concur!
Life's a journey......so roll down the window and enjoy the breeze.

#16 rjag

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Posted 28 October 2011 - 06:37 AM

As someone whose commercial properties pay in excess of $150k in Property taxes to CS each and every year yet does not have a vote, I have to say that I was very dissappointed at the CS ratepayers going after Vantreight and watching my tax $'s being spent on this.

Now I know that next year most likely my business will be asked to pay more in taxes and a part of that will be to offset the legal fees associated with this.

You want to know whats really annoying about actions like this from our perspective?
We dont get garbage p/u;
we have a volunteer fire department;
that wants a new firehall costing millions
we have to paint and repaint the yellow lines around the fire hydrant in front of our building as CS wont do it;
we have to spend countless $'s on whims of building inspectors that like to change things when construction is 95% complete;
we were 'encouraged' to install a more expensive type of asphalt to allow water to drain back into the water table, yet we sit on a thick bed of clay and when our consultants informed council we were told to do it anyway;
we had to hire a professional landscape architect to the tune of $10,000 to provide drawings of approx 1,500 ft of grass and shrubs that cost about $2,500
if there were 2 major structural fires at the same time in Keating there isnt enough water pressure in the hydrants to manage both fires;
we have 3 parking spots for each of our employees and a bike rack that we were forced to install along with shelter that has never been used once in 5 years, yet our employees are mostly world class athletes;
and we get the luxury of paying over $150k in taxes to subsidize farmers.

Yet we have no forum to be heard at CS, they love taking our money yet dont actually care (Jack Mars infamous comments about the closing of West and the amazing indifference from the rest of council when not 1 of them called him out!!!)

So basically I'm a Ratepayer just like you, I havent heard from you or your association....ever and I've had my business there since 1982.....so just who do you represent?

Are you part of the same group that fought against the CO-OP move?

#17 Ryan Windsor

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Posted 29 October 2011 - 11:50 PM

I have to say that I was very dissappointed at the CS ratepayers going after Vantreight and watching my tax $'s being spent on this.

A couple of points
• there is a great deal of misinformation out there about how much was spent by CS defending the case, some have suggested it was half a million dollars. At $300 an hour for lawyers that would be 1700 hours or 70 days worth of time spent on the case. The original hearing and appeal were 2 days each. Did the lawyers for CS spend 66 days preparing the case?
• despite the judgements the municipality did change the OCP in a way that contradicted the existing BY-LAW, however by amending the OCP BY-LAW they apparently proved that planning documents are subject to the whimsy of a council who dismisses them any motivation under the sun.

You want to know whats really annoying about actions like this from our perspective?

We dont get garbage p/u;
• Yep I agree on that one
we have a volunteer fire department;
• Yep right again, we should share fire service with North Saanich and Sidney to reduce the number of redundant staffing for three Municipalities with a combined population of 40,000 people.

that wants a new firehall costing millions
•the reason for a new station is that the existing one is apparently seismically unsound (I can't actually find the report showing that-may not be available to the public)
•2007 facilities charette report highlights "Wise Financial Management — actively pursue self-financing and/or cost recovery initiatives; pursue tri-municipal service arrangements or other partnerships"
•original intent was to provide servicing in response to concerns from insurers regarding Response times to Keating - a satellite was suggested - instead they decided to build a main firehall at this end of the district.

we have to paint and repaint the yellow lines around the fire hydrant in front of our building as CS wont do it;
do they justify there decision - the hydrant is on municipal property is it not?

we have to spend countless $'s on whims of building inspectors that like to change things when construction is 95% complete;
•We have been there too. I asked council why they do not direct staff to prepare checklists for developments. Almost no development is unique so they know that building codes will require certain steps. why not lost them

we were 'encouraged' to install a more expensive type of asphalt to allow water to drain back into the water table, yet we sit on a thick bed of clay and when our consultants informed council we were told to do it anyway;
•I would like to see the site.

we had to hire a professional landscape architect to the tune of $10,000 to provide drawings of approx 1,500 ft of grass and shrubs that cost about $2,500
•I love the natural world, much to the chagrin of some people. Trying to create silly patches of green space in industrial/commercial development is just foreign to me.


if there were 2 major structural fires at the same time in Keating there isnt enough water pressure in the hydrants to manage both fires;
•I listened to Jack once talk about Water Pressure because apparently he sat on the CRD water commission - I wonder if he ever visited the pump station for a demonstration.


we have 3 parking spots for each of our employees and a bike rack that we were forced to install along with shelter that has never been used once in 5 years, yet our employees are mostly world class athletes;
• perhaps we can help you create a revenue opportunity with your extra parking spaces (perhaps thats not feasible). I am willing to listen to your ideas about how to use them and again seeing the site context in person would help.


and we get the luxury of paying over $150k in taxes to subsidize farmers.
•ALR is a provincial matter the municipalities have no jurisdiction. That may not be the answer you wanted, but I am not going to pretend that a council for a community of 16,000 is going to have any influence.


Yet we have no forum to be heard at CS, they love taking our money yet dont actually care (Jack Mars infamous comments about the closing of West and the amazing indifference from the rest of council when not 1 of them called him out!!!)
• a good start would be to make individual councillors more accessible by providing email addresses to contact them. Having a business owners forum at least twice a year to have council meet and hear from the businesses instead of waiting for some specific issue to come up is essential. To be effective businesses would have to participate even if they have no specific development proposal.

So basically I'm a Ratepayer just like you, I havent heard from you or your association....ever and I've had my business there since 1982.....so just who do you represent?

I have spoken with several businesses on Keating directly to get their feedback. My goal is too speak with everyone who is willing to meet with me. Computer communication is a good way to make a connection that is then followed up with in person conversations. email me at greenryan@me.com if you are able to make time to meet with me.

Are you part of the same group that fought against the CO-OP move?

If the goal is to revitalize the Keating Business Park how do we achieve that by removing a business that brings people from Tanner and Cooper Ridge not to mention the rest of the municipality. So yes I involved myself in supporting the Co-op staying and expanding on Keating.

#18 rjag

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Posted 31 October 2011 - 10:52 AM

Thank you for your thoughtful reply.

Good luck with the election, If you are succesful then I look forward to having a frank discussion with you.

#19 Ryan Smith

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Posted 01 November 2011 - 07:38 PM

Thoughtful reply? He is likely saying what you want to hear to try and get your vote.

I laughed at Windsor's reply on water pressure in Keating Industrial. What a hypocrite. He is part of the ratepayers, who were very vocal in opposition to the Senaus water line. This is a residential area that had NO water for fire protection, and they fought hard in effort for them not to get it!

He will listen to the business community? All I have read from Windsor is a bunch of stuff that makes no sense on how to revitalize Keating Industrial, which to me means he thinks he knows more about business than actual business owners. If he thinks he knows more, he isn't going to listen, unless he hears what he wants to hear. If he thinks some tax breaks are going to make businesses successful, he definitely doesn't know what he is talking about. How about planning the Keating Industrial for specific commercial use where the commercial uses are complimentary rather than opposing, and create an environment for business to succeed. Businesses have to be successful to stay here, not just receive some tax breaks. That is comparable to an individual thinking they are going to create personal wealth from government programs versus a good career.

Let's see how he handles some "real" questions at the chamber all-candidates meeting this Thursday - ones that truly are important to this municipality.

#20 rjag

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Posted 01 November 2011 - 09:39 PM

Thoughtful reply? He is likely saying what you want to hear to try and get your vote.


I think you mistake me for someone else....I thanked him because he made an effort to reply to my comments....I dont have to agree with his comments but I'm being courteous which you arent.

I cant vote because the properties I own are commercial and I reside in another muni....however I did say that if he is successful that I look forward to having a frank discussion with him as I would with you if you were to be elected...

Chris Graham came by my business today and we had a great chat for about 10 minutes and he has some good ideas, so I'm glad to see some candidates are paying attention to business regardless if we dont have a vote, some of our employees do and they like to have work in their community.

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