Retired city employee, Helen Geisler has thrown her name into the hat of Whitehorse city council hopefuls.
“Ever since I started working for the city, I knew that when I retired I would become a councillor and now that I’ve retired, I want to become a councillor,” she said. “Just to give back to the community. I’ve lived in Whitehorse for over 32 years. It’s been good to me, so I want to return the favour, I guess you could say.”
But there’s not much else you can say about Geisler, who is now “working in finance” for the territory.
The 51-year-old stepmother of two, stepgrandmother of four and stepgreatgrandmother of one refused to comment on big issues or topics that would face her, if elected.
“I don’t want to make any grand promises because I am only one vote on council,” she said. “Until I do get voted into council, I’d rather keep those opinions to myself.”
Geisler did note that she supports Whitehorse’s tagline as “the wilderness city” and she hopes to bring back the “small-town feeling” that existed here when she first moved to the territory in 1980, she said.
“Now I feel like we’re trying to be a little Toronto, or a little Edmonton, or something like that,” she said. “I want to get that small-town feeling back so everybody knows everybody, everybody likes everybody, everybody respects everybody - that sort of thing. There’s not that personability anymore in the city, with people.”
After following her mom and stepdad to the territory in 1980, Geisler attended a 10-month program at the Yukon Vocational and Technical Training Centre (now known as Yukon College). In 1983 she became a permanent employee with the City of Whitehorse and in her 28 years there she was a receptionist and administrative assistant, she worked in the warehouse, with parks and recreation and in purchasing and finance.
Geisler purchased her first home in the territory in 1985, which was a house trailer in the City Trailer Court, which is where EasyHome, Domino’s Pizza, the Investors Group and the Greyhound bus terminal now sit. Currently, Geisler is a Porter Creek resident.
It is “extremely important to have open, honest and fair practices for all” people working for the city, she said.
It is also important for there to be open communication between the mayor, council, management and staff, community organizations, developers and citizens, she added.
But Geisler refused to say any more until after she gets elected.
As for what residents are supposed to vote her in for, she said that’s up to them to decide.
“I’m just a regular person, living in Whitehorse,” she said. “Nothing special. I just want to give back to the community.”
Contact Roxanne Stasyszyn at roxannes@yukon-news.com