A father of three, Richard Diamond and his family have lived in Bentley for over 10 years.
During that time he says, “Property taxes have doubled. We have priced ourselves out of being an affordable community and need to get this under control.”
Diamond has been a retail manager, worked construction, and currently works in the oil patch.
“I love living in a small quiet town,” Diamond says. He moved to Bentley from Calgary after having left Red Deer. “Walking down the street, having people wave and say hello is such a refreshing change. People live here because of the atmosphere and surroundings.”
“My family (and I) use the parks, the library, and enjoy when Bentley (fair) days comes around. We do use the arena, but certainly wish it was a better structure. It would be awesome to replace it and showcase the Generals better. Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening.”
“The Highway 12 bypass is a sore spot with a lot of people. Here again is an issue where most people are unsure what’s actually happening.”
A big issue with Diamond is the fact that the town now collects franchise fees on some utility bills.
“Residents seem to be in the dark about (town) planning and policies.”
“Currently I’m injured and disabled, so I have lots of time to dedicate to the position (of town councillor). I would like a council atmosphere of actually listening to what the residents want, and be more open about the future and planning.“
“Bentley has a lot of potential. We need to show that this town is open for business and attract consumers and entrepreneurs here. This is a great small town to live in: let’s extol the virtues of small town life, and attract people with a sense of community spirit.”