Fernie’s team captain

Give her an impossible goal, and Mayor Mary Giuliano gets excited

by Marie Milner — December 06, 2013

Five people in a row, including two women and two men, seated, and one boy, standing

1 of 4Mayor Mary Giuliano (far left) and several council members spoke to students at Isabella Dicken Elementary School in Fernie, B.C. — Photo courtesy Mary Giuliano

Workers in a vacant field, with trees and mountains in the background

2 of 4This formerly vacant field is now the site of a dirt bike park in Fernie, B.C. — Photo courtesy Mary Giuliano

Downtown streetscape at night, with snow-covered mountains in the background

3 of 4The Rocky Mountains make a beautiful backdrop for the city of Fernie, even at night. — Photo courtesy Tourism Fernie

Summer street scene with flowering baskets, bicycles and outdoor seating, with mountains in the background

4 of 4Trail-riding cyclists in Fernie, B.C., pause at a sidewalk café before heading off to the mountain trails. — Photo courtesy Tourism Fernie

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Perhaps her paternal grandfather inspired Fernie’s mayor, Mary Giuliano—he was mayor of her hometown for 14 years. Giuliano spoke with Kootenay Business about her history, her values and her vision.

Where did you grow up?

We lived in Italy until I was seven, and then Fernie.

What brought you to Fernie?

My father worked for the Canadian government in the ’50s. His health was affected by chlorinated water and he settled us in Fernie because the water here was free of chlorine.

Can you tell us a bit about your educational background?

I married right out of high school and had four children in eight years. During those years I took courses at our community college and read voraciously. I used to have the library order reference books for me from other libraries.

What was your first job?

I was 15 years old when I got my first job, as a waitress—the hardest job I’ve ever done. I worked as a telephone operator for three years during high school, and that was fun. For 23 years I’ve written for the Fernie Free Press. I’ve written for Fernie.com for quite some time, and I contribute to e-Know. I also worked in a retirement home for several years.

What kind of workplace challenge brings out the best in you?

I like challenges that seem insurmountable at first. I always get a group to work with me and we’re generally successful. People in this community are very generous with their time and efforts.

If your city were a person, what would you say is its dominant personality characteristic?

If my city were a person, it would be a strong, compassionate, well-rounded person. People here are interested in the arts, sports and the history of our town; we’re mostly open-minded and we’re also actively involved in supporting those in need.

What do you especially love about this community?

The people, the beauty of the mountains, the fresh air, the clean water.

Where might we find you on a Saturday night?

I’m usually with my husband and my family. If I have a council-related event, I take my husband with me. We also like to attend cultural events.

What’s the most satisfying thing about your job?

The ability to help people and support my town. I’ve been able to make some long-term relationships with different levels of government, so my calls and emails get a response, enabling me to get help for people. There’s no amount of money that could buy the satisfaction I get from being able to help.

As mayor, what would you like your legacy to be in your city?

We’re putting together a team of interested residents to look at the establishment of a new college campus and a conference centre in Fernie. We’ve already had four meetings and we’re continuing to do research and planning. We acknowledge that it’s an ambitious idea, but we believe both of these are needed and will be successful.

4 for '14

We asked Mayor Mary Giuliano to tell us the top four priorities for Fernie city council for 2014. Here is her list.

Clean water: New federal regulations require that we often issue turbidity notices about our drinking water, which comes from Faery Creek. Within two years the City should be able to access water from the new wells we've drilled.
Roads and infrastructure: Resurfacing city streets is an important, ongoing priority. We want to maintain our infrastructure services and facilities while keeping taxes as low as possible.
Community engagement: We want to increase and improve communication and public engagement, and foster and support business and economic diversity.
Safety: In 2012 we determined that a nuisance bylaw, cameras and brighter street lights will deter vandalism and improve safety. The lights and bylaw are in place and we’re working on purchasing and installing cameras.