Heart, Care and the Business of City Hall

I have appreciated the opportunity to think deeply about how we all live together here in Nelson, the beautiful little city we share. The municipal election process has been one of my most challenging, enlightening and positive experiences.

I am grateful to the individuals and organizations who have reached out for opinions and input, hosted forums, and to the journalists whose valuable press has been integral to informing voters in Nelson. That includes the latest article (opens in a new tab) from highly respected local independent journalist Bill Metcalfe about the all-candidates forum at Wildflower School, which echoed sentiments I’ve heard more than once during this election:

How much should councillors concern themselves with the broader challenges people face in their everyday lives?

Bill’s article is an important reminder about municipal responsibilities and limitations. The everyday work of keeping a city running is essential.

So is understanding what council can and can’t do, and what depends on funding and decisions made elsewhere. I agree 100% with that.

I also believe councillors should be community leaders who care about what living in Nelson actually looks like for locals.

I believe exemplary councillors should be practical and focused on the business of City Hall, while also being empathetic and caring.

Compassion and practicality aren’t opposites. Good government requires both.

What this experience has taught me

Personally, I am grateful I have had the opportunity to participate in the municipal election process in such an involved way. In my ten years living here, I have never had such a clear and impressive picture of how things happen in our little city. I will never see the ordinary workings of Nelson in the same way.

I also appreciate the civics lesson my kids have received during this process. They have had to “share” me more than usual this last month, and they have been so proud of how I have shown up, challenged myself to do hard things, and put myself out there.

One of my two favourite experiences was speaking to a group of students at LVR, where they asked the questions, moderated, and even cut the Mayor off when her time was up! I was so touched when three students stayed behind to talk more with me about their concerns and their interest in political and civic involvement.

The other was a story my youngest told me this week when I picked him up: he said his class was basically about me - in a good way. When I asked what he meant, he described a class activity where his teacher gave each student a candidate to learn about; he got my friend Devon, and his desk partner got me. It literally brought me to tears.

Whether I am one of your six elected councillors for the next four years or not, I want residents to know and trust that our councillors and mayor are overseeing what needs to be done and planning carefully for our future. That they genuinely care for the people, wildlife, and the city of Nelson itself. With the individuals who have put their name forward this election, I feel like we will be in good hands.

This experience has strengthened my desire to be involved and lead with heart, care and vision for the Nelson we are creating every day, for all of us.

The actual work of a city happens 24/7, 365 days a year

An incredibly talented and diverse workforce of City employees goes about their day around town, doing the invaluable work of keeping pipes clear, roads smooth, and trees maintained. They collect garbage, keep the streetlights on, and help us sign out books and pay bills. Much of that work happens quietly in the background, until a pipe bursts or a pothole appears on our regular route. Safe drinking water, maintained infrastructure, and solid emergency preparedness have real consequences for everyone living here, and that work continues every day.

Not everyone in town needs to be hands-on with the daily workings, and I feel like that is OK. Residents should be able to trust that the work is being done, without having to keep track of every daily operation and budget.

City staff carry out the work.

Council sets direction, approves budgets and provides oversight.

Council needs to be observant and critical about how we spend our funds, and communicate clearly so citizens don’t have to investigate how we allocate communal funds and what the results are.

Current councillors have a detailed, personal understanding of the limits of municipal authority and resources. The loss of provincial funding for the two affordable housing projects mentioned in Bill’s article is a sobering example of how local efforts can depend on decisions made elsewhere. That reality needs to inform our plans and promises. It also makes collaboration, advocacy and honest communication important parts of the work.

A City is more than its infrastructure, services and policies

At the panel hosted by the Canadian Federation of University Women and the Nelson & District Teachers Association at Wildflower School, I said that the three values I bring to the council table are:

Inclusive. Collaborative. Practical.

For me, being inclusive means considering who is affected, whose voice is missing, and whether decisions serve the people who live here.

Being collaborative means working with staff, fellow councillors, residents and partners, recognizing both municipal authority and its limits.

Being practical means understanding budgets, maintaining infrastructure, assessing trade-offs and making decisions that can be carried out.

This process has deepened my understanding of what those values require: responsible governance, careful stewardship, and leadership with heart, care and vision.

It has also made the responsibility feel much more personal, knowing that those decisions will affect my own family, friends and neighbours, alongside people whose lives and challenges may be very different from mine.

The forum questions themselves invited candidates to discuss community wellbeing, including housing, social services, food access, mental health, aging in place and climate issues. Many of those involve responsibilities shared across governments and community organizations.

In my answer about affordability, I said the City needs to look at housing, transportation, and child care together because families experience those costs together. I also said that the City cannot solve this problem alone, but it can help create the conditions for a more affordable life.

Recognizing what people are struggling with does not mean believing that City Council has the authority or resources to fix everything. It means understanding how the decisions council does make affect those struggles and caring about our neighbours.

Making City Hall easier to understand

I also want to help close the gap between City Hall and the people it serves.

I want residents to see what we’re prioritizing, how we will pay for it, and whether our efforts are making a difference. That is also part of caring for a community. People need to feel part of the process, not just at election time.

Whether City Hall is explaining a spending decision, a development proposal, or emergency preparations, people need to understand what it means for their lives and how they can participate without having to dig for the information they need.

Clear information needs to reach people through more than a website or an email list.

We deserve clarity on things that can get frustrating in municipal politics; knowing what the City of Nelson can actually do, and what it cannot, can go a long way toward helping our citizens feel informed and satisfied with the City’s efforts to address issues.

I would support the city in providing more detailed accounting of how things get done, sharing this information on multiple platforms through short-form communications that engage the public, and directing people to the full information online.

Youth engagement

I would also love to see school-age children visit City Hall more often, learn how our city runs day-to-day, and get more involved in city initiatives.

I want older kids to understand their role in keeping our city healthy, have opportunities to lead, and contribute meaningfully to the civic process. I want them all to know how their city works and the names of their councillors and mayor. I want local government to feel like something they can understand and participate in. I want them to be inspired to imagine being in a leadership role in their hometown one day.

Some of the biggest challenges affecting our community do involve other levels of government, regional bodies, health authorities, school systems, nonprofits, businesses and community organizations, but if I have a seat at the table, I will endeavour to advocate for our town and our people wherever those decisions get made, and work with organizations and funding bodies that share our commitment to meeting needs the City of Nelson cannot address on its own.

I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I care deeply about people.

Compassion will be central to how I approach decisions, but I will also come with my feet firmly planted, ready to do the regular everyday work of helping lead this beautiful city for the next four years.

I’m Jess Phillips, and I’d be honoured to have your vote on October 17

Also from Jess: Living in Harmony: Caring for Nelson, Our Neighbours and Our Wildlife