By Rina Rast, Kindersley Social, September 26, 2016
Your Election Candidates!
October 13 and 26, 2016, are two important dates for Kindersley. In total, twelve candidates are running for Town Council and two candidates running for Mayor are hoping to serve in the next term running from 2016 – 2020. Voters will be electing in one Mayor, and six Councilors
Advance polling is October 13, 2016, with voting from 12 noon – 9:00 p.m at the Kindersley Town Office. Election Day is October 26, 2016, with voting from 9:00 a.m – 8:00 p.m at Elizabeth School gymnasium.
Candidates for Mayor
Tom Morris
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Tom Morris has a vision for a community in which positive communication is a priority. As the current president of Kindersley Chamber of Commerce, he is confident that he could bring more positive interaction and fiscal responsibility to Kindersley. He is interested in “trying to bridge the discontent” in how the town is run, by letting people understand why things happen the way they do.
Morris is keen on addressing Kindersley’s water issue. He is also in favour of renewing the application for city status. As an active member in the community, he spends his spare time involved in public service. In addition to being the current president of the Kindersley Chamber of Commerce, he is president of the Kindersley Innkeepers and Hospitality Association and is involved in several other local committees.
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Rodney Perkins
Rod Perkins has been a resident of Kindersley for the last 42 years. He spent 40 years as a partner in the accounting firm Close Perkins and Hauta. He and his wife, Pat, raised their five children in Kindersley, and he has been involved in many community organizations over the years. A few of these include the Kindersley Chamber of Commerce, the Kindersley Junior Klippers, and Professional Conduct and Discipline committees of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Saskatchewan, where he was rewarded with an FCA designation in 2001.
Perkins believes the most important item for the new Mayor and Council to focus on is the immediate building of a new pool. He also believes the town needs to create an atmosphere in which we are “open for business,” reducing bureaucratic red tape and speeding up the decision-making process. Other priorities include improving relationships between Mayor, Council and Administration, taxpayers, and user groups; ensuring that taxes and utility bills do not increase; and working closely with the RM and provincial government in order to best serve the people of Kindersley.
Candidates for Council:
Ken Francis
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Ken Francis has lived in Kindersley for 20 years and has been working as a land professional since 1987. He was President of Palliser Land Ltd, which merged with Millennium Land Ltd in 2015. “From a financial end, I would bring some experience,” he says. He would like to see the town become more fiscally responsible to taxpayers. He would also like to work towards a more proactive approach to town decisions, improving efficiency in the decision-making process, and addressing the lack of facilities, such as a public swimming pool.
Francis has been on several boards and committees over the years, including the Kindersley Chamber of Commerce, the Saskatchewan Surface Rights Board, and Kindersley Minor Sports. As a father of three children, he has enjoyed coaching baseball and hockey, as well as playing hockey and golf in his spare time. He considers himself a “citizen who would lend a hand and offer some insight” to the Town Council.
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James Garland
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James Garland is a 3rd generation resident of Kindersley, with a desire to “bring the basics back to Kindersley.” His roots in the community go deep; his family came to the area in the mid -1800s before Saskatchewan was even a province. He would like to see Kindersley become more stable, and develop into a more viable community to attract a workforce.
Garland believes that life needs to be made more attainable for the “front-line workers,” as it is difficult for them to live in Kindersley on only one income. As a result, one of the things he would like to see improved is the high cost of living in the community. As a father with a 14-year-old daughter, he would like nothing better than to have Kindersley become the place she chose to raise her own family.
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Elyse Moss
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Elyse Moss has a genuine interest in the public policies and procedures that govern Kindersley. As a resident of the town for the last 19 years, she has developed a strong desire to make a positive impact in the community. She is dedicated to critical thinking, and is keen on putting it into practice: “I’m not afraid to do the research.”
Moss believes that Kindersley needs to make a new pool a priority, adding that it helps provide a quality of life in the town that is important. Moss would also like to target the town’s high living expenses: “We need to take a strong look at the cost of living here.” She is passionate about working towards creating a brighter future for Kindersley and says “At the end of the day, we need to have a forward-thinking plan.”
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Rob Cote
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Rob Cote was born in Kindersley and, apart from some time spent away for college and work, has made it his home all his life. He has a keen interest in seeing Kindersley’s population and industry grow. Areas he would like to improve include the town’s housing costs, taxes, and commerce. “I think Kindersley needs more businesses,” he says. “We want the town to grow.” He would also like to widen the town’s horizons regarding recreation and sports.
Cote has served on several committees over the years, including the Kindersley Minor Sports Board and the Kindersley Golf Club. He enjoys taking part in various recreational activities such as golfing and hockey in his spare time.
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Shaun Henry
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Shaun Henry is the current Acting Mayor for the Town of Kindersley, a position he has filled since January of this year. Previously, he has acted as Town Councilor, serving in that position since February 2014. It is his goal to support the new council members, mentioning the large number of “fresh faces” that will be elected in October.
Henry sees Kindersley facing several major decisions, such as planning for a new pool. Other concerns include the fire-hall, lagoon, and regional landfill. In addition, he believes that affordable housing is yet another problem that must be addressed. If elected, Henry’s goal is to use his experience to aid the new Council in these decisions.
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Randy Ervine
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Randy is a local business owner and lifetime resident of Kindersley. He views this year as a chance to see “behind the scenes” and help improve the town he’s lived in all his life. He believes he can help address the high costs of living in Kindersley, including the cost of housing and property. He also hopes to at least stall rising taxes, if not bring them down. Another of his goals is to tackle Kindersley’s expensive water rates: “2017 is the third year in a row where there’s been a water rate increase,” he says.
Randy owns Lela’s Music Center on Main Street, a family-owned business where he has worked for over forty years. He takes an active interest in how his hometown is run, and believes this is his opportunity to help create positive change. “If you get the right people in there, we’re going to see some improvement.”
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Terry (Dean) Galbraith
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40 years of living in Kindersley has made Dean Galbraith a firm supporter of community events. He has a strong background in business, being the owner of Guppy’s Car and Truck Spa, Great Canadian Oil Change, Water Pure Bottling Co., along with several commercial buildings in Kindersley. He coached Kindersley Minor Hockey for 10 years, was a member of the KMS Hockey Board for 4 years, and also held a brief position with the Town of Kindersley Appeals Board.
Galbraith has worked to attract many new businesses to Kindersley and sees his experience in this area as a valuable asset. He would like to see more accountability in the town’s spending, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing needs and using resources accordingly. Another of his goals is to see “a new affordable pool” built. Galbraith says that “Keeping Kindersley as a growing and prosperous community is extremely important” to him. If elected, his vision for Kindersley is simple and direct: “Continue to grow affordably.”
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Tammy Anderson-Jackson
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Scott Faulds
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Scott Faulds has worked in Kindersley for the last 14 years and has lived in the community for 12 years. Originally from a small town in Ontario, he came to Saskatchewan in 1997 and has since “fallen in love” with the province. He has a strong desire to help improve the town’s accountability in spending and to make Kindersley a better place for youth.
Faulds would like to question the town’s expenditures, in the hopes of “getting us into the black instead of the red.” He also feels that “We are in desperate need of getting our books balanced,” and sees his experience in budgeting as an asset. Faulds would like to see a new, affordable pool built as quickly as possible. In addition, Faulds feels motivated to benefit the youth of the community; ideas for this include creating a youth center, where young people could socialize and take part in various games and recreational activities.
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Rob Gilmour
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Rob Gilmour has lived in Kindersley for 37 years. With a background in business and past experience in the town office, Gilmour feels that this is an opportunity to give back to the community, and help solve some problems he sees in the current town government. “I think the town has to take a close look at the local economy,” he says, adding that it also needs to consider how a downturn in the economy affects the residents of the town.
Gilmour would like to tackle the building of a new pool. He would also like to cut down on administration expenses, in an effort to free up some of the town’s resources for other priorities. In turn, this would help reduce water expenses and assist in preventing taxes from rising.
Gilmour’s vision for Kindersley in a nutshell: “Sustainable growth without overtaxing the residents.”
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Gary Becker
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Gary Becker has lived in Kindersley all his life and has run Long-horn Oil and Gas for 15 years. He says “wanting change” is the number one thing that motivated him to run for Councilor. He would like to see an improvement in the quality of communication between the town government and townspeople. He would also like to address issues such as the high water bills and taxes, in addition to “catching up” in places like the industrial area.
Becker is in favour of attracting more business in Kindersley. He also supports building a new pool, stating that it would “give families a reason to be here.” Becker is a father of 3 children and been involved in several local committees over the years.
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Christopher Douglas
Christopher Douglas is a local businessman who has lived in Kindersley for the last 25 years. A firm believer in creating positive change, he stresses the importance of having more community input in the way the town is run. He is also very interested in creating more open communication between the townspeople and the town government. “We should be able to walk into the Town Office and not be scared,” he says “we have to listen to what people want.”
Douglas hopes to address the problems of high housing costs and high taxes. He would like to see more transparency in Kindersley’s spending. He’s also in support of building a new pool. He believes that now is the time to take the initiative and prepare for the future. “Kindersley goes through ups and downs,” he says. “It’s time to prepare.”
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