MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - Candidates seeking election on Oct. 18 in Mountain View County Divisions 4, 5 and 6 took part in online forums on Oct. 6, a day after the candidates in Divisions 1, 3 and 7 participated in similar events.
Moderated by outgoing Division 7 councillor Al Kemmere, the Oct. 6 forums were divided into two parts, the first for Division 4 and the second for divisions 5 and 6.
Candidates gave answers to questions submitted by the public on issues such as taxation, rural crime, water conservation, aggregate extraction, inter-municipal cooperation, development and the local economy.
Division 4 includes Bergen, Zella and Elkton and is currently held by outgoing councillor and reeve Bruce Beattie, who is not seeking re-election.
Candidates in the riding are Jim Bowhay, Gord Krebs, Sean LaBrie and Eric Rose.
Bowhay said, “I’m prepared to listen to the taxpayers. I will work hard to be effective and efficient with your tax dollars. I will do my best to make the right decisions, encourage fellow taxpayers to be involved, listen to your concerns and more importantly your solutions and take them to council.”
Krebs said, “I see the role of councillor as a person who works for constituents. Your issues will become my issues. My responsibility will be to ensure that you have all the facts and then relay your concerns to Mountain View County.”
LaBrie said, “The street-smart education my police career has given me, the business and financial literacy that owning a ranch has taught me, along with the governance I have learned from sitting on many boards, steering committees and organizations will help me to represent you and Mountain View County in a most positive light.”
Rose said, “There are a lot of concerns in this county which have to be met and we all have to work through it.”
Division 5 includes rural Sundre, McDougal Flats and Bearberry. Candidates in the division are incumbent Angela Aalbers and Christina McCharles.
Aalbers said, “I can consistently and relentlessly advocate the position of residents and ensure that I can back any requests with evidence for change. I believe that the relationships I’ve already built over the past years with provincial MLAs and ministers will benefit our area and the county for the next four years.”
McCharles said, “I’m looking forward to upholding the residents’ voice in all that I do. I plan to collaborate strongly with residents in my role as councillor and work tirelessly for residents as county council member. Working in a collaborative approach is my goal.”
Division 6 includes rural Sundre, Eagle Hill and Harmattan. Candidates in the division are Karen Bewick, incumbent Peggy Johnson and Patrick A.P. Radford.
Bewick said, “We have to listen to our residents and go forth for them and listen to what they need and want. I always think our future is going to be that much better by working together.”
Johnson said, “I’d like to take what I’ve learned in the last four years and leverage it into making more decisions and going forward as a councillor in the next four years.”
Radford said, “I look upon myself as somebody who can work with the other divisions. The problems of Division 6 are not unique to Division 6. I come in with knowledge and experience.”
Recordings of all forums are posted on Mountain View County’s website.
