Archive:

2025

ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE SERVICE DELIVERY: “We have no more excuses. The concept has been around long enough for staff and elected officials to have an awareness of the issues. We need to move past our anxiety and confront the problems,” stated Arnold Schwabe, Executive Director with Asset Management BC


“Inability to effectively communicate the purposes of local government as defined in legislation… Community Charter for municipalities and Local Government Act for regional districts…has had an unintended consequence – and that is, distrust of staff on the part of elected officials and taxpayers. So, what do we do? We reset. It is clearly a time of change. I think it is an appropriate time for local governments to reflect and self-evaluate the services they provide and how they provide them. This isn’t about blame. It is about putting pieces together,” stated Arnold Schwabe.

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CHAMPION FOR AN ECOSYSTEM-BASED APPROACH IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: Barry Janyk, former 4-term mayor of Gibsons, was an early political champion whose efforts as an influencer elevated the profile of the green infrastructure movement in the urban regions of BC


In 1999, Barry Janyk had a vision which morphed into the SmartStorm Forum Series. He chaired the inter-governmental committee which initiated the series. He added political profile in his moderator role for the series. His tone-setting presentation to kickoff each event was titled: The Political Consequences of Doing the Wrong Thing: Why Elected Officials Must Consider Smart Development. “Technical people have to demonstrate cost-effectiveness in order to transform political acceptability into political will to implement change and spend money,” stated Barry Janyk.

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GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INFLUENCER IN THE METRO VANCOUVER REGION: “We must start and end with the stream for a true measure of success,” says Jim Dumont, rainwater management thought leader who evolved the Water Balance Methodology through a rigorously analytical approach


“We are on the right path. But that path seems to be a path less travelled. While many advances have been made in managing rainwater on-site in BC, we have fallen behind US west coast states in protecting streams and reducing risk. The West Coast experience of Washington State, Oregon and California is a counterweight to those who lean to Ontario and Northeastern USA for their experience. We cannot force the change. The thing that I have found works is RISK MANAGEMENT. If we can get that discussion going, senior people will follow along,” stated Jim Dumont.

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GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INFLUENCER IN THE METRO VANCOUVER REGION: “My passion is about driving positive change. Being committed to goals. Setting long-term objectives. And committing to those until they are delivered. That is what gets these big items over the finish line,” stated Melony Burton, Manager of Infrastructure Planning with the City of Port Coquitlam


Melony Burton’s actions in driving positive change are guided by her no-nonsense approach to keeping it simple, practical and implementable. She is results-based and has a history of accomplishment with three local governments. Her responsibilities encompass the entire infrastructure portfolio. “I have leveraged my career into a position that allows me to have more influence and positive change. This came, in part, from channeling the frustration at being limited in the role I was in. When you are comfortable, you are not motivated to make a change,” explains Melony Burton.

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ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE SERVICE DELIVERY: “If your foundation is weak, it is not going to get you anywhere. That is the nub of the problem …organizational amnesia has weakened foundations,” stated Arnold Schwabe, successor to Wally Wells as Executive Director of Asset Management BC


“So, what do we do? Really, it is about focusing on those areas of restarting and refreshing. And everybody, especially elected officials, having the courage to start making the change that is coming. I want to believe all the things are in place for change to occur, for a reset to take place,” stated Arnold Schwabe. “We have no more excuses. The concept of Asset Management has been around long enough for staff and elected officials to have an awareness of the issues. We need to move past our anxiety and confront the problems.”

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