The Squamish Reporter

Local News from Squamish and Sea to Sky Region

Saturday December 21, 2024 Your gateway to the Sea to Sky corridor

Scott Wengi to Run for Council

October 1, 2014 4:07pm

By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: Oct. 1, 2014

Scott Wengi became a Canadian citizen three months ago and he is putting it to best possible use.

Wengi, a golf professional employed at the Squamish Valley Golf Course, announced his bid for Squamish council today. Wengi

“Now that I have citizenship, I think it’s time to give back and running for council is one way of doing this,” he said.

Wengi has a degree in industrial relations from the University of New South Wales, Australia, and a master’s degree in commerce from the same university. He is also a registered massage therapist and has been living in Squamish with his wife, Julia, and daughter Ella since 2007.

“We need to move forward with SODC and not wonder what has been or could have been.”

Wengi has also worked for eleven years in the Insurance, Risk Management and Risk Consulting business along with doing some contractual work as a business analyst with large international firms.

Squamish is heading into an interesting future and he has the leadership qualities and analytic skills to shape that future for the better, he said.

Wengi said he would like to focus on the town’s ‘potentials’ which include giving incentives to local business and jobs, development of tourism brand and seeing SODC move forward.

“We need to move forward with SODC and not wonder what has been or could have been,” he said.

Fostering and nurturing business to grow organically within Squamish, opening new markets to popular sports such as mountain biking and climbing, and moving forward with the Oceanfront are some of the things he would like to see happen.

He also said he will make sure he shares all information with the community that can be legally shared and be available in a variety of formats so it can be easily accessible.

Wengi said he would also focus on infrastructure development and maintenance.

On the town’s most contentious issue, Woodfibre LNG, Wengi said Woodfibre has the potential to provide some significant benefits to the community.

“The taxes from the plant, the construction jobs as well as the long term jobs will have a positive effect on the Squamish economy,” he said.

There are some possible downsides and they have been made clear by groups such as My Sea to Sky, he added.

“If the plant was to go ahead I would do my utmost as councilor to ensure that the plant was built and held to the highest standard possible,” Wengi said.

“However, until the EA process is finalised I don’t think anyone can make an accurate and fully informed judgment on this project.”

 

Share

Share

[addtoany]

Home occupants ‘unaccounted’ in Highway 99 mudslide

EAO orders Woodfibre LNG to stop ‘unauthorized’ use of boat ramps to ferry material

Squamish’s Lavendel Farm to hosts first-ever Winter Wonderland event
https://www.squamishreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/SeandSKY-home-page.jpg

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Brad Hodge says

    I have met Scott several times over the years at SVGCC and he is a solid, articulate and extremely professional guy and I think he would bring a no drama, evidence driven approach to Council. Best of luck sir!

  2. Ralph Fulber says

    Possible downsides to the LNG proposal? For someone that claims the credentials to work in risk management I’d rather not have this fellow be voted a paid trustee of my children’a future.

    • Ron says

      Ralph, you sound like, forgive me, some really hard core Green militant activists? Aggressive, opinionated and full of s…t.. Attack, attack, attack. anyone who could stand in the path of you and your purveyors of hate. Good luck for the Aussie.

  3. Amanda Andrew says

    Although I strongly oppose Woodfibre LNG, we have to face the possibility of it happening. I have had the pleasure to spend a fair amount of time with Scott and fully trust that he would approach such matters with lasting integrity. He is clever, objective, and driven. Scott on council would be a huge benefit to the community.

  4. larry mclennan says

    Welcome to the club Scott and congrats for getting involved in the community. Nice to see you stating where you stand on WLNG and SODC.
    Personally, I’d like to see some sort of an audit and report to the taxpayers re: the SODC so we may have a difference of opinion there.
    Questions for Scott
    Do you have any plans to reduce Municipal costs and put a halt/slowdown to annual tax increases? If so please briefly provide the details.
    It appears that you agree with my position re: the positive ability of “heavy industry” (forestry/logging/mining/LNG) to co-exist in the community with other businesses- is this true? Yes or No

    Good luck with your campaign- throw a shrimp on the barbie for me if you’re successful.

    • Scott says

      Hi Larry,
      Thank you for taking the time to comment and I’m pleased to see that we share some common points of view. I apologise for not commenting re your post sooner…I only became aware of it today.

      So, a few quick(ish) answers to the questions you pose;

      Reduction of municipal costs and a halt/slow down in annual tax increases….?
      The bank and I own a home and as such I am more than aware of the increase in property tax and utility costs over the past few years and the increases that are slated over the next few years. Whilst it frustrates me to have to pay these significant increases I understand the reasoning behind it. As I understand it, the issue stems from the fact that past councils along with the DOS just didn’t budget correctly for our ageing infrastructure. Repairs, maintenance and upgrades to our pipes, roads and water treatment plant are becoming more necessary and more frequent and therefore…increased costs. I commend the current council on the action that they have taken. Whilst not a popular decision, I think it was a prudent one.

      As for the reduction of Municipal costs, I don’t intend to be the candidate that runs with a huge promise to slash costs as soon as he is voted in. Many of the DOS costs are fixed or not able to be influenced by council. I plan on running with a view to being part of an effective council that is able to govern and make considered decisions that will affect Squamish positively. Slashing costs is not necessarily the answer.

      Finally, yes, I do believe that ‘heavy’ industry (somewhat dependant on your definition, as unlike ‘light’ industry, it is not clearly defined) our outdoor lifestyle, our tourism industry and our potential for ‘rec-tech’ business are not mutually exclusive. If you look up ‘Things to Do in Vancouver’ on Trip Advisor, of the 184 attractions listed, the Seawall at Stanley Park and Stanley Park come in at number 1 and 2. From the Seawall and past the impressive Lions Gate Bridge you can see the giant yellow hills of sulphur at the Nth Vancouver Sulphur Works, the massive marine construction site of Seaspan and looking to the left the dozens of container ships, tankers etc waiting for their turn to dock and load/unload their cargo. Not necessarily what you would expect to see and experience from one of Vancouver’s premier tourist and local’s hangout spots and yet, there it is. It can and does work.

      Oh, and I’ll keep some shrimp in the freezer just in case 😉

  5. Dave says

    Ralph you have a mind-set which is intractable as any you oppose.

    Good for your resolve but there is always a leeway with human interaction and resolve too!

    This guy has integrity and can see both sides of your strong fence! I will vote for him.

  6. larry mclennan says

    Scott a reminder- my informants tell me you may not have filed yuet- you have until 4:00 friday. sooner rather than later..

    • tj says

      So where are the bloviates who ran everyone down this year in the local papers??…Running for council ?!?….Excuse me whilst I run and look up the word ‘hypocrite’ in the dictionary… but I feel a need to go and barf first….

  7. Jean says

    Dear Scot,
    If you are so convinced that LNG is profitable for BC and safe and a good Venture for Squamish,s long term future, please put it in this blog, I am always willing to learn, but to date, I have not fond one item that is positive other then a few business people and possible union employees waiting to have a bit more take home pay for a short time, verse all of us paying for a longtime afterwards with lots of ill effects from this brain dead venture. We will see what the election will bring and I am definitely asking the first question from each candidate about, Yes or No for LNG and that alone will tel me about there state of mind and fitness to govern.

    PS. it should be mandatory that each candidate would have to post there personal e-mail and we could test them how quick we would get a reply… That would also be my decision to give somebody my vote, as I would expect them to do the same once elected,