Safety, money and community were common threads at the Beaverlodge & District Chamber of Commerce election forum last Thursday.
In attendance were Beaverlodge mayoral candidates Terry Dueck, Gary Rycroft (incumbent) and Paul Szkopiec and councillor candidates Trevor Bartsch, Stan Berry, Richard Lappenbush, Tyke Longmore, Jennifer Wolan and incumbents Cyndi Corbett, Hugh Graw, Judy Kokotilo-Bekkerus and Cal Mosher.
Each had 30 seconds to answer questions prepared in advance.
What do you think council’s role should be in incorporating municipal enforcement services and possibly the RCMP?
“If I could ever change one thing as a councillor, that peace officer would still be here,” Graw said.
The nominees, like town residents, have been concerned with an uptake in crime.
“I think we need to have checks and balances put in place,” said Szkopiec. “We’ve got to set back our next bylaw officer for success, not failure.”
Szkopiec and Berry advocated for a community watch program. “I do believe that with greater citizen involvement that we can make an effort to improve the community and safety,” said Berry.
He advised it was a complicated process. “There’s no simple answer, and I don't think the town council alone can resolve it.”
“The bylaw department is totally useless,” said Dueck. “You can't ask somebody to do something that they can’t do, and that's exactly what we’re trying to do with the bylaw officer.”
Rycroft ascribed enforcement to the RCMP. “When somebody’s breaking the law, they are the people who have to take care of it.”
He called on residents to report crime to the RCMP every time. “The RCMP don't know they’re happening, so nothing’s being done. They’re the police force of the town of Beaverlodge.”
How would you as a member of council support local business and attract new ones?
“Businesses that have come into our community have strived, and the only way they left is their britches just got too big for our community,” said Lappenbush, who owns three businesses in town. “Small businesses are gold here.”
Still, councillor hopeful Longmore called for more efforts “getting the voice out to as many people as possible. We can work on promoting these businesses. It’s going to encourage growth, and growth will bring new businesses.”
Bartsch suggested new programs could help with advertising for new entrepreneurs.
“I think we could help them with maybe some incentives to fire up a business in town,” he said.
“To keep the old ones like you need to really promote, you really need to promote buying, staying local.”
Wolan noted the town does not have many vacancies in the downtown core.
“There are a lot of communities that don’t have every business filled up,” she said. “We do have some space for growth in our industrial park, but if we do want to encourage more growth in town and even in the industrial park, maybe support or promote local entrepreneurs. Offer some incentives for new businesses.”
“I see business here as a two-fold thing,” said Mosher. “First being the oilfield, and second being the smaller business type. The oilfield stuff comes and goes, but I think what we need is more of the other kind that will last for a long time.”
What are your plans for upgrading and maintaining poor infrastructure?
Graw said the town’s infrastructure isn't aging any worse than any other town in the province. “We don't plan water breaks. When a water break happens, it's not the council's issue. Our job is to govern.”
Longmore said the town needs to keep budgeting for issues. “We know they’re coming. We know they’re going to happen.
“Just because we haven’t had a water main break in four years, we should keep putting that money aside. I think that's the best we can do with budgets, just try to be proactive when we can.”
Dueck said the town has been on track with its water maintenance program for the past two years. ”We’ve been fairly lucky with the people that we have working on (it and) they kept things going pretty good.”
Still, he noted, the town’s debt is affecting its ability to maintain roads.
A community dashboard would go a long way to helping residents keep up to date on town projects, said Szkopiec. “There’s a lot of projects we don’t see, but there’s also some that we need to see,” he said. A community dashboard would illustrate town projects.
How can the town encourage new housing development?
Berry said the inspection and permitting process needed to be sped up and Wolan agreed: “I think if we can support zoning updates, fast tracking permits, that would be a great help.”
“Private owners who have the bare land right now need to have someone who will buy it and then develop on it,” said Kokotilo-Bekkerus.
Szkopiec said a tax break would prove critical in helping attract builders to Beaverlodge. Berry also recommended tax breaks, though Kokotilo-Bekkerus noted the town does already offer some tax incentives.
“We are doing the very best we can by reaching out and saying, hey, come and grow with us, come and build with us, but it’s hard,” said Corbett.
“It is quite an expense that you have to put up to build.”
Should Beaverlodge have a new arena and expanded recreational facilities?
For many, a new arena isn’t feasible, with Berry saying he didn’t see how it could be done without raising taxes.
“However, I do believe that we can prioritize things like upgrading the arena, providing a better sports field,” he said. “When it comes to the funding, I think this is something that organizations are going to have to participate in and find local sponsorships.”
Corbett noted the town has applied for a federal grant to have the arena refurbished. “I’m hoping it goes forward, everybody seems very enthusiastic. Keep your fingers crossed.”
“No matter what we do, our arena is getting close to end of life,” Rycroft said.
“The plans that we have to carry on require a federal grant for about $15 million. If we don’t get that grant, we’re going to have to replace that facility.”
What principles guide your decisions on taxes and spending?
“Budget is a format,” said Lappenbush. “If you stick to the format, the nickels and dimes will take care of themselves.”
“If you're not being fiscally responsible, you're setting yourself up for disaster,” said Longmore. “Things are going to come up, things are not going to happen when you think they are and you might end up with a surplus or maybe not so much reserve, but you’ve got to work with what you have and do the best you can with what's there.”
For Bartsch, budgeting is a matter of balancing wants versus needs. “Figure out not only a couple years, five years down the road, but 25, 30 years down the road and try to balance your budget accordingly.”
“Try keeping taxes as fair and reasonable as possible, and try to stay within it there.”
“Our budgets are difficult to put together,” said Mosher. “We work to try to stay at a very low rate and hold the rate for a few years. Where we get caught is the extra monies that the province or the federal government had and we have no say in that.”
How can council could better support seniors in housing and long-term care options?
“If it’s this council, next council, or council in 10 years, advocating for our seniors will never end.” Dueck called for a new seniors centre.
“The old senior centre was built in the ‘70s, and we’ve got to get a new building here where seniors are treated a little bit more with respect than what they are. When the prisoners are getting fed three meals a day and living luxury, our seniors are getting barely by.”
Helping seniors find ways to be more self-sufficient and foster independent living should an obligation of the municipality, said Berry.
“Making things available for seniors so they can live in their own home, as opposed to going into assisted living facilities, is a great way to start looking at improving senior care in this community.”
How will you ensure transparency, accountability, and good communication between council and residents?
Current councillors noted council meetings are livestreamed, lauded the monthly newsletter that is inserted into water bills, and the town’s comprehensive website. Longmore suggested regular town halls would be beneficial.
“No one comes to council meetings,” said Kokotilo-Bekkerus. “We’re an open book. If you don’t want to read us, that’s your problem.”
Advanced voting is at the Beaverlodge Community Centre on Oct. 15 from 4 to 8 p.m. and Oct. 18 from 10 to 4 p.m. Election day voting on Oct. 20 is open from 10 to 4 p.m.