SLT Council Candidate Leonard Carter

South Tahoe Now reached out to all nine candidates for South Lake Tahoe City Council and provided the same list of questions to each one of them. Once a day their answers will be published in the order received.

Today's candidate is Leonard Carter.

Occupation: Retired

How many years in SLT: 32 years

1. Explain why you are running for City Council and what your qualifications are. I believe I can help the council focus on real issues, such as: roads, law enforcement, trash, public safety, fire suppression, and not burn out on spurious popular topics.

My qualifications consist of working with under-privileged persons as administrator/director of a therapeutic foster care agency where I also worked directly with adults and children as their case manager assuring appropriate services and coordinating with licensed mental health workers. Additionally, I provided assessment and implementation of BMP home retrofit, working with TRPA, and coordinating with TRCD. Other qualifications include education and work experience in forestry, church ministry, and hospitality.

2. There has been talk about making South Lake Tahoe a Charter City. Are you for or against this, and why? I have only done a minimum of research and I would need more familiarity with the affect, the pros and cons, including how the current 108 Charter Cities in California experience governing under a Charter before making a final decision. However, since it seems a Charter City has more power to govern independently from the State on local issues, I lean toward being for this.

3. How many council meetings have you attended (Remotely and in person) and participated in? What changes, if any, would you bring to the table on how meetings are run? Ideas for more public participation? I have attended meetings of interest for several years. More recently, since Summer 2019, I have been in attendance for all but one or two scheduled meetings. Usually I attended the entire meeting. I spoke to the council, in person, five or six times. Since the meetings went online due to COVID-19, I have continued to attend most meetings in full length. I have not phoned in at the remote meetings but take opportunity to speak with Council members prior to and following meetings.

I like the way the meetings are run. Sometimes, the brief description and title of an issue on the agenda are confusing to the general public and could be more clearly presented. There will always be those, passionate about a topic, who will complain they were not given enough time to express their concern. I believe, there are ample opportunities given to the public to be heard, according to the existing process of the council meetings.

When it comes to more public participation, I encourage everyone to have a voice.. We have the right to form any assembly and be heard. I am a little wary of special interest community formed committees because these can sometimes be a force to circumvent the will of the general population. I have no problem with an independent committee or group presenting a point of view, recommendations or conclusions to the Council. However, I have heard there can be community groups who seek special status, a position of privilege with the City Council, and I do not believe this should be sanctioned.

4. What are your thoughts on the 56 Acre Parcel and what should be included? I believe the 56 Acre Parcel will be good for our city. It has the potential to become a hub of positive activity for our city residents as well as visitors. Done right, aesthetically pleasing with minimal environmental impact, it will an effective location for city services and recreation. Costs and design are essential considerations. This project should focus on resident access to as many city offices and recreational options as possible while maintaining responsibility for minimal impact to our neighborhood and shoreline, preserving our mountain town image. It can be a central location of positive activity, as already experienced by the Commons area.

5. Being on council takes a lot of cooperation and collaboration. Do you consider yourself a team player? How do you work with others that may not have the same vision as you? Please explain how your election to the council will help get things done in South Lake Tahoe. I am a team player! Most collaborative committees or groups I have been in are in the area of business. I find that when the objectives are clear, and the details of reaching that objective can be determined by using a proven process, that committee runs smoothly. I enjoyed Brooke Lane asking at times "What is the real objective or issue here?" She asked these clarifying questions that tended to keep the council focused. Hopefully, I see myself in this tradition. I consider myself a team player who likes to ask clarifying questions. I listen to all stakeholders in an issue to gain additional perspective before moving forward. I do not recall a person, that I served on a committee with me, ever stating I was difficult to work with. When I serve on the City Council, my energy and focus will help get things done by, reducing roadblocks to problem solving and clarifying issues.

6. What is your top priority and why? My top priority is the management of tourism. We need to decide if we have over tourism. How does the City define tourism, and what policies do we adopt concerning tourism, now and for the future? There seems to be a growth in the percentage of tourists who do not value our community or value our environment. We now find ourselves in a position where we need to guard our citizens from tourists behaving badly. The safety of our citizens, community and environment must be a top priority.

7. What do you see yourself accomplishing as one of five council members in your first six months? In my first six months, setting some spending priorities, so that our roads can receive more funds to be maintained and resurfaced, is something I hope to accomplish. Let us do this right!

8. South Lake Tahoe is very polarized right now. As a councilperson, what would you do to create a more cohesive and respectful community? I find that people of high moral character, willing to listen to those with opposing views, can disagree greatly and still remain friends, cohesive and respectful. When we use the term, polarized, we assume no common ground. I believe we have factions that are not truthfully interested in coming together, however, I'm not so sure we are as polarized as some would like us to think we are. I stress finding the truth rather than allowing emotion to rule a point of view. When a discussion is based in truth and fact, it can be entered with respect. My focus on commonalities among residents, viewing ourselves with mutuality, and with the humility to listen to each other, is a foundation of respect. I plan to have published (office) hours when I am available to residents for open discussion.

0. Anything else you’d like to add? It would be my honor to serve the community that I have lived in and loved for so many years. The people in South Lake are honorable, well meaning and generous. I would appreciate your vote for City Council.

Previous candidate responses
Daniel P. Browne, Jr.
Keith Roberts