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Decision 2013: Meet the Town Council candidates I

'We try to keep taxes as low as possible without reducing services.' - Al Campbell

NAME: Darcy Bachman.

HOMETOWN: Stettler; formerly Luseland, Sask.

AGE: 54.

FAMILY: Wife of 31 years, two married children, with four grandchildren.

YEARS IN GOVERNMENT:

I have been in municipal government for 18 years, the last four years being a councillor in Stettler.

YOUR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:

I sit on the Municipal Planning Commission, Stettler Family and Community Support Services, library board and Stettler Subdivision Authority.

YOUR HOBBIES:

Doing yard work, winemaking, smoking fish and other meats. I like fishing when I have time.

YOUR GREATEST ATTRIBUTES:

To resolve issues with an objective and constructive point of view to best serve our community. I am loyal and have integrity on any projects that I take on.

MAIN ISSUES IN THE CAMPAIGN AND YOUR SUGGESTIONS TO ADDRESS THEM:

To work closely with the County of Stettler to further our relationship with funding on future recreation projects, as in upgrades to our rink, and building of our new skatepark.

Also, to continue to attract doctors to town.

I would also like to see continued commercial development in Stettler, as we have had 12 new businesses and four expansions and upgrades to existing business in our community. And to finish the beautification of our downtown.

***

NAME: Will Brown.

HOMETOWN: Stettler; formerly Spirit River.

AGE: 39.

FAMILY: Pam (wife), Bethany, Stephani and Josh.

YOUR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:

I am the Lead Pastor of Stettler Community Church of the Nazarene. For the past three years, I have served on the beautification committee, police advisory committee, library board as treasurer, and the heritage conservation committee. Recently, I have also joined the Downtown Heritage Park Committee. For the past six years, I have been the head of the local ministerial association, as well as one of the leaders of the community youth group. I am an instructor at Dual Dragons Tae Kwon Do, where I donate several hours a week.

YOUR HOBBIES:

Tae Kwon Do, woodworking, spending time with my family.

YOUR GREATEST ATTRIBUTES:

Ability to see the big picture and effectively move forward.

MAIN ISSUES IN THE CAMPAIGN AND YOUR SUGGESTIONS TO ADDRESS THEM:

School zones do not reflect school schedules. We need to work towards making them a playground zone instead to keep the children of this community safe.

Let’s do things right the first time. Too many times things are built and then rebuilt due to improper planning or forethought. Let’s take the time to plan further down the road and do things right the first time.

Working with local businesses to establish a “green” program where they would be able to recycle their waste instead of it going into the landfill.

Providing recreational opportunities for all walks of life by creating subsidy programs to aid current programs and attract new activities to our community.

Preservation of our community’s rich history through the development of the Downtown Heritage Park and the Downtown Historical Walk.

Work with local law enforcement to address current bylaw shortfalls in order to create a safer community.

***

NAME: Al Campbell.

HOMETOWN: Born and raised in Swift Current, Sask., however, Stettler has been home for the past 45 years and will continue to be so.

AGE: 71.

FAMILY: My wife and I have three sons born and raised in Stettler. They now have families of their own, living in Red Deer, Kelowna and Vancouver. We have five granddaughters and one grandson.

YEARS IN GOVERNMENT/SCHOOL BOARD:

I had the privilege of serving as a trustee on the Stettler School Board for three terms — two of those terms as chairman. I have served on town council for six terms. These years have been very rewarding. I have had and continue to have a passion for serving the citizens of Stettler as a councillor.

YOUR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:

— Coached midget hockey for five years.

— Involved with the junior hockey team when the late Frank Pickering was the coach.

— A director of the Stettler Sabres senior hockey club.

— Involved with minor baseball when our boys were going through the baseball program from T-ball to midget.

— Instrumental in bringing the rodeo back to Stettler, with the Steel Wheel Stampede, and continue to serve on that board.

— Owned and operated various businesses for 35 years.

YOUR HOBBIES:

Active member of Stettler Golf and Country Club. Enjoy watching most sports on TV.

YOUR GREATEST ATTRIBUTES:

— Know and respect the line between administration, staff and council.

— Straight shooter. Good listener: I believe everyone has the right to be heard.

— Make decisions easily.

— Strong moral and family foundation.

MAIN ISSUES IN THE CAMPAIGN AND YOUR SUGGESTIONS TO ADDRESS THEM:

Taxes are always an issue. Lower taxes = less services. We try to keep taxes as low as possible without reducing services. Want people to enjoy a healthy, balanced lifestyle in Stettler. Continue our good relationship with the county as our partner in so many services.

***

NAME: Malcolm Fischer.

HOMETOWN: Stettler.

AGE: 63.

FAMILY: I live in Stettler with my wife, Sharon. I have two children, Shauna and Scott, and two stepsons, Justin and Braden. I’m thrilled to have two lovely granddaughters, Aidan and Drue.

YEARS IN GOVERNMENT:

One three-year term as town councillor, during which I have served on several committees and have chaired FCSS and Regional Waste Management.

YOUR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:

My involvement stretches over many years, and involves being on numerous boards (curling, golf, minor baseball and hockey, etc.), coaching and managing teams, being ceremonies chairman for Alberta Summer Games and provincial men’s curling playdowns, being in many, many plays with Gilbert and Sullivan and HATS, and performing with musical groups like Cantus Choir and the Country Music Jamboree.

YOUR HOBBIES:

A bit of golf and curling. My involvement in the vintage car hobby is extensive, both enjoying the friends new and old, and the events. My friend Bob Poapst and I have planned two very successful international antique car meets.

YOUR GREATEST ATTRIBUTES:

Honesty, dependability, common sense, genuine caring for my community and the people in it. ALL the people in it.

MAIN ISSUES IN THE CAMPAIGN AND YOUR SUGGESTIONS TO ADDRESS THEM:

I don’t have any individual issues and I am concerned that if we do, it can blind us to the bigger picture that involves serving the needs of the entire community. In the term just ending, I served on many committees and boards, and have always done my best to make a meaningful contribution to each and every one of them. My tendency is much more to get things done than to just dream and chat about them, and I am proud to have played a meaningful part in town business. Stettler has much to be proud of and is a progressive, well-respected town. Always looking forward to making things better yet is a valuable perspective, and solving other problems that arise is a must.

***

NAME: Steven Wildeboer.

HOMETOWN: I was born and raised in Lacombe, and moved to Stettler in 2009. Stettler is now my hometown.

AGE: 43.

FAMILY: Married to Angela. We have a 10-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter. We had a third child who died of cancer in 2008.

YEARS IN GOVERNMENT:

My experience is three years as Stettler town councillor and, before that, I had four years of involvement on various Lacombe County committees.

YOUR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:

I enjoy coaching my son’s soccer teams for the last few years. I am involved in a local church.

I have been on a number of committees and enjoy participating in the yearly fundraising efforts of a number of local organizations.

As the manager of the local John Deere dealership, I sponsor many events and fundraisers.

YOUR HOBBIES:

I enjoy playing many sports, particularly basketball. We enjoy going for bicycle rides, and camping as a family.

YOUR GREATEST ATTRIBUTES:

Excellent listener who is easy to discuss with, making others feel comfortable when talking with me.

I am a thoughtful and a logical decision-maker who has strong desires to care about other’s needs and I am concerned for others.

MAIN ISSUES IN THE CAMPAIGN AND YOUR SUGGESTIONS TO ADDRESS THEM:

Continual growth for the Town of Stettler. We need to continue to make this a business-friendly town, by keeping taxes low, and by developing more commercial and industrial lands.

At the same time, we must also balance Stettler as a family-oriented community.

Stettler is a safe community filled with hardworking people. We need to encourage people to maintain this aspect of our community.

Slow and incremental growth is what we need to continue to see. The growth needs to be sustainable for our infrastructure and our financial capabilities.