Joan Flaspohler - Williams Lake City Council

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Good day Williams Lake Residents,You are needed!Today, I am letting you know, I have decided I will not be running in th...
06/05/2026

Good day Williams Lake Residents,

You are needed!

Today, I am letting you know, I have decided I will not be running in this fall’s election. Ultimately, my future plans do not align with me being in the role again. I have put over 30 years of heart and soul into trying to make this City the best it can be, whether it was the horticulture, the firefighting or the recent governance and It’s time to step away and invest my time into other goals. It was something I felt I needed to step up to at the time, but politics was never my passion to be honest.
Many incredible people have approached me insisting I need to continue on this political path and I am truly saddened that I cannot continue to be your voice. Thank you so much for the support, and know, I am absolutely honoured as well as humbled by it.

The reality is though, all of you, are needed more than me.

A unified community is what really makes change. Not one person. A community unified in supporting professional future candidates that possess positive perspectives & can see the potential of Williams Lake. A community willing to be open to voting for not only the familiar face, but for new individuals that campaign with the health of community in mind.

AND most importantly, a community that has new individuals WILLING to step up for the role! In my opinion, it is critical that new voices and new perspectives continue at the council chambers for progressive change. Please step up, as well as encouraging others who you know care about Williams Lake and would work hard to strive for more. A future where there is more community reach out, more planning, and more implementation. This is the future Williams Lake needs.

The reason I chose this time to let you all know of my decision, is because there is an informational session being held before the election this time around!

A ‘Candidate Workshop’ to inform the community and potential future candidates on what proper governance looks like and what the role entails. This is being conducted by an amazing individual who was the Mayor of Golden, and is well versed in local governance. We had educational sessions by this individual and it was enlightening, along with extremely beneficial to learn what proper local official conduct is! I highly recommend your attendance! It will be on Monday, June 22nd from 4 to 7pm in the Council Chambers. This was jointly organized by the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District, so feel free to get a hold of either for more details.

In summary, now was the time for me to let you know I will not be throwing my name into the election, now is the time for you to potentially do it, or support others that you think will grow this community in a healthy, positive way!
Remember, you do not have to be living in the City boundaries, (our current council has 3 members that don’t), you just need to care about Williams Lake, because if you are not paying direct taxes, I guarantee you know someone you care about that does, along with, we all utilize the services of Williams Lake and care about its wellbeing. It is our home.

When I reflect back on when I decided to run in 2022, my goal at the time, was to bring a different voice to the council table, a voice that wouldn’t be pressured into voting with the majority and could stay strong. I also wanted to show this community they can support others that are not the familiar faces, that individuals that aren’t the ‘seasoned’ politicians can one hundred percent be there for the community………..and you supported me in this endeavour. Thank you.

Please know, I will still work as hard as I have since day one, till the last day of this current election term for the greater good of Williams Lake! Thanks again to all the kind, encouraging voices that supported me.

Please attend the workshop, and if anyone wants to reach out to get my perspective on the role, you are very welcome to.

Take care everyone!💕

As I continually state I really don’t want to spend much time on social media, there are moments where I feel I need to ...
03/25/2026

As I continually state I really don’t want to spend much time on social media, there are moments where I feel I need to weigh in. Last night I had prepared to speak at the meeting. That isn’t how the meeting went but I feel I need to share what my words were going to be. So it is a bit of a read and if you’re interested here you go……..
Oh and by the way, I know fire risk when I see it, 20 plus years serving this community in that field has taught me when we should be concerned as a community or not. Just saying.
—————————————-

I don’t support any aspects of these motions.

It is important though that we talk about what is actually going on here….

1) we have societal issues that is affecting our community, the same as multiple others across the globe. The housing and drug crisis is easy to see everywhere. Crime is also becoming more apparent as we see individuals struggle with these crises. Crime is not as hidden as it once was. None of us like to see it or feel it!

2) we are upset citizens who want things to be the way they once were. Myself included, but we all know there are no easy answers and there’s definitely no quick fixes, especially at a municipal government level.

3) we have, though, in society right now, politicians at all levels of government, who love, rage bait, and who love to present false hope, and unachievable answers so to try and fool constituents into voting for them during the next election. They always present answers that can’t be delivered easily or realistically, and like to point their fingers instead, just to lure people into thinking they can fix everything. That is my personal opinion.

4) with these motions being discussed this evening, we are, as a council, creating negative attention and unwarranted media observation that is HARMING our city, scaring our residents, and preventing investment along with reducing the chance to entice professionals to move here, you want healthcare providers & new economic growth? Then stop this negative narrative! IT DOESN’T disappear, people who search up this community to see if they want to come here, are always going to see this negative media! It now exists on the Web, please stop adding to it! For the health of this community, please stop!

******I have to say to all the other communities watching this debate. The reality is, our community is not in far worse shape than any of yours, the difference is, you are all, just smart enough to not advertise your similar issues on any level of media! I personally, really really wish people would stop embellishing their stories and the situation‘s to try and make their cases more believable because in my personal opinion, that is what’s happening here. Maybe also, if you were going to state “millions and millions of dollars are lost due to fire“, and you are going to accuse someone for it, you better get your facts right. Was the Office of the Fire Commissioner contacted? Did the investigations prove who did it? I doubt it. Undetermined, if that is the results of the investigation, doesn’t mean you get to place whomever you want as the accused. So let’s stick to the facts people. Especially if you’re going to start accusing, and you are in a key community role.

So, let’s be real…….. A council can’t tell individuals to wear a GPS, a council can’t place people in jail, a council can’t force people into services, & a council cannot send people on a one-way bus ticket to other communities. We don’t want that done to us, so tell me why it is right to do it to other communities! Pretty hypocritical, in my opinion!

These are not answers that a council can deliver, these are false promises! Changes for these issues truly come from higher levels of government. And I am sure they will be better researched, and professionally developed, more than these motions that are being thrown on this table! Oh, and I bet they will also abide by the law!

Let me add this piece of information in regards to GPS monitoring. This council as well as the previous council has been constantly receiving responses to requests of gps monitoring. When I read all the letters that have been sent in response to the City, I feel communication to this community may have not been occurring as it could, probably because it counters the ‘big answer’ that some people keep saying gps monitoring is, and like a broken record, the request keeps happening over and over for something that is already happening! Let me read some pieces from the letters received by the City, that were on public agendas from the past…….

-from the Ministry of Public Safety January 22, 2020
‘ Thank you for your letter of December 4, 2019, in which you expressed concern that electronic monitoring is being under utilized in your community.
I appreciate your frustration and desire to enhance safety in your community. As previously communicated to the City of Williams Lake Council, BC corrections has continuously operated the electronic monitoring program since 1992. Since that time this program now referred to as electronic supervision, has remained an optional condition that only the judiciary may impose on an individual.’

-from Ministry of Attorney General, April 2, 2020
‘ I am writing in response to your letter, dated February 7, 2020 regarding the use of electronic supervision in your community. As you are no doubt aware, only a judge may order electronic supervision as a condition of an accused persons release or an offender sentence. In appropriate cases, Crown Council may apply for an order, directing BC community corrections to prepare a technical suitability report to determine whether an individual is a suitable candidate for its electronic supervision program. Crown council makes decisions about whether to apply for such a report, and whether to support or oppose electronic supervision as a term of release on a case by case basis, guided by relevant law, and the particular circumstances before the court. Crown counsel considering electronic supervision are aware of the limitation of the program currently available in BC it can only be used to monitor specific types of conditions, such as curfews and area restrictions, requires stable housing that meets technical criteria, depends on access to an operational cellular network for real time monitoring, and does not on its own prevent criminal behaviour to protect victims.’

*****So is GPS monitoring the answer it is touted to be? I don’t believe so. The current system that IS IN PLACE, has limitations, it is why everyone doesn’t have a gps monitoring program placed upon them.
I just want this broken record to stop!😐

So to summarize, I will not be supporting these unachievable, harmful motions, I will, though focus on supporting proactive community initiatives, I will pressure higher levels of government to make changes to the things they have control of that can make our community better & safer in a professional way, and I will not pretend that I have all the answers so you are fooled into electing me again! That doesn’t align with my moral compass, and I care about the members of this community too much.

Thanks for reading all my opinion’s & positions on these challenges we are facing as a community. I truly want what is best for us all, as I know you do too.

Joan

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Williams Lake, BC

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