I was born and raised in the Town of Ponoka.
After high school attended the University of Alberta and graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Commerce majoring in accounting and a minor in marketing.
After graduating university, I went to work in Edmonton for the Hudson Bay Company in their management training program and later for a large construction company as a cost account.
In 1976, I married a Ponoka Farm girl, Lauraine Hoar and we returned to Ponoka. Lauraine went to work as a teacher at Lacombe Composite High School and I worked as a loans officer with Alberta Opportunity Company. After 13 years in lending, my wife and I purchased a farm west of Ponoka and started the family cattle business. With the help of our two sons, we built up a successful cow-calf operation and today I concentrate on feeding back grounders for the beef industry.
As you can see, I have history in the town and the county of Ponoka and I am very interested in seeing it grow in a positive direction. I have a background in business, accounting, marketing, construction and farming and feel that I have the skills, knowledge and willingness to listen and work with others that will continue to make me an effective Ponoka County councillor for a third term.
In going over some notes from the past, I came across an article that is as relevant now as it was then.
“Why should you actually run for Council?”
“You should run because you wish to serve your community, to provide good leadership, to plan and build for the future. You should run because you have a contribution to make, ideas to share, passion that won’t abate and a commitment to do the right thing no matter what.” I believe that I still have a contribution to make, ideas to share, and the passion is still there.
Looking to the future, Ponoka County will in all likelihood have a revenue problem, not an expenditure problem. The county continues to operate one of the leanest, if not the leanest operations in the province of Alberta. With the declining oil and gas (linear) revenues and the reduction in Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) funding, we are going to have to find new sources of revenue such as promoting more economic development along the QE2 corridor.
In other words, getting the message out that Ponoka County is open for business. Also where ever possible we must work closely with our counter-parts in the Town of Ponoka and Rimbey to collaborate on projects that are mutually beneficial to both jurisdictions. Above all, we must continue to be fiscally responsible, as it is taxpayers’ dollars that we are spending.
I look forward to continuing as your Division 3 councillor over the next four years.