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PROFILE: Cher Wyers, Grand Forks Council

1. Please give a brief summary of who you are and why you have decided to run for office.

 

Grand Forks was my family’s destination fifteen years ago to establish my husband’s general aviation business. After researching airports around the province, we found that the local airport provided close proximity to user-friendly border crossings, excellent facilities and a remarkable community to support our outdoor recreational lifestyle.
 
Our children live elsewhere and one special dog named Chloe completes the family picture. I am seeking re-election to Grand Forks City Council to continue the work started in the areas of environment enhancement, economic development for job creation.
 
2. What is your background? Have you held office before? If not what skills do you bring to the job if you are elected.
 
 Originally from Brandon, Manitoba, BC has been my home since 1979 from working in the Okanagan Valley, a brief move to Langley and finally the Sunshine Valley. Kelowna is where I met Ron and this was the beginning of a rewarding career in aviation from jumping out of perfectly good airplanes, piloting my own Cessna 120, managing a flight training centre at Boundary Bay airport, to Senior Dispatcher in flight operations for Coastal Pacific’s Academic Aviation Program.
 
I was a designated Authorized Person appointed by Transport Canada to issue on-site pilot licensing. Along the way, I made long term working relationships with major car rental companies and brought Budget Rent A Car to Grand Forks in 1998 when the municipal airport installed runway lighting. 
 
Small business is in my blood and after managing the Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Centre for three years; I saw a struggling economy here as experienced from being a border town with a dependency on forestry and a declining population.
 
3. What do you think are the top three challenges facing the city/region/school district in the upcoming term?
 
The deteriorating infrastructure that currently exceeds the taxation capacity of its taxpayers over a short term is a major challenge. Inbound investment for economic growth is second and a weak transportation infrastructure regionally rounds out my top three challenge choices.
 
How do we make ourselves more attractive for new industry, business and residential roofs that can fill our schools, contribute new revenue to manage our assets and inspire a vision of prosperity where seniors and families can live comfortably and receive excellent health care?
 
I’ll include the growing deer population living among us whose natural habitat lacks a provincial wildlife management plan.
 
4. How do you think you can impact these challenges?
 
I’m a regional thinker and I will continue to collaborate and cooperate with our Regional District partners in Areas C & D for the protection of water into perpetuity as one example.  I recognize that the decisions we make today will impact our outcome in the future becoming our legacy.  I want to see the continuation of two very important committees of council.  
 
The existing environment committee addressing air quality, water sustainability and carbon neutrality. Since the formation of the Boundary air quality committee (BAQC), I’ve been an active participant since 2007 as the Chamber of Commerce representative and recognize the excellent contribution by the twenty-two community leaders and public who bring science, knowledge and respect to the table.
 
They have agreed to continue working together on water sustainability and carbon neutrality, both impacting our future development and regional/provincial/federal funding relationships.
 
A recent recommendation is for an economic development advisory committee  of council to revitalize the commercial core and develop a niche heritage component for inclusion in the official community plan's sustainability community plan. My experience with the Chamber’s business community and managing a Tourism BC Visitor Centre can reduce barriers and expedite achievable results.
 
5. If you could describe yourself in three words what would they be?
 
A good listener
 
6. Other comments that you feel are important to the voters.
 
Having now experienced my first three-year term, I see where continuity is important to sustain momentum with major projects and ongoing challenges that exceed the boundaries of any council’s term. 
 
I am consistent, transparent, and exercise common sense into my decision-making process. I’m your neighbour who patrols the streets of Grand Forks with Citizens on Patrol and an active volunteer throughout the community. I seek your continued support and ask you to join me in making a better community for future generations.