Transparency, communication & community trust

My answer

For me, transparency and trust come back to the values on my Community Compass — integrity, accountability, commitment, courage, listening, collaboration and belonging.

Listening comes first. If someone brings me a concern, I want to understand it, ask questions and, where appropriate, bring it forward. That does not mean I can promise the outcome they want, and it does not mean I will always agree.

Being heard and getting your way are not the same thing.

I commend the Town for already livestreaming regular Council meetings on YouTube, and I would absolutely support continuing that. I would also support exploring ways to make Council information even easier for residents to find, understand and follow through clear agendas and minutes, plain-language communication and simple explanations of major decisions.

For larger or controversial issues, I believe Council should consider additional opportunities for public input before decisions are finalized — such as open public meetings, town halls, surveys, open houses, focus groups or other forms of consultation. People should have a meaningful opportunity to understand the issue, ask questions and share their perspective.

Communication should be ongoing, not something that happens only when there is controversy. Regular, clear information helps build trust before difficult decisions arise.

If residents are asked for input, I think Council should close the loop afterward: What did we hear? How was it considered? What was ultimately decided? What happens next?

Transparency also means explaining the ‘why’ behind decisions whenever possible. There will be times when Council cannot publicly discuss certain matters because of privacy, legal or closed-session requirements. Integrity means respecting those obligations while still communicating as openly as the law allows.

Courage at the table means being willing to ask difficult questions, respectfully challenge ideas, explain my reasoning, own my vote and sometimes agree to disagree while continuing to work together.

I would support Council continuing to communicate through official Town channels and exploring ways to make that communication easier for residents to access and understand. Residents should not have to follow an individual councillor’s personal page or business page to understand what their municipal government is doing.

Being accountable does not mean being available 24/7. It means showing up, listening, doing the homework, communicating clearly, respecting appropriate boundaries and being accountable for the decisions I make.

Trust is built when people know what is happening, have a chance to be heard, and understand how decisions were made.

For me, transparency is not about promising agreement. It is about making the process easier to follow, creating meaningful opportunities for residents to participate, and being prepared to explain and own the decisions made at the Council table.