Between Two Extremes: One Year Later

It has been about a year since Council was sworn in. It has been an adventure, and passed by too quickly. We have had some successes and accomplishments, with many more coming over the next days, weeks, months, and years. We are progressing responsibly as Kindersley undergoes change - change thrust on us by outside circumstances such as economic growth and provincial and federal requirements, and inside by neighbours who need and want something different. Your Council is working hard to ensure that we are acting responsibly and sustainably for all who live, work, and play in Kindersley, both now and in the future.

Our planning, decisions, and implementation straddles a tension between two extremes: On the one hand, operating a business with more than $90 million in assets, $14 million in revenue, and more than 5,000 customers; and on the other hand, leading a community with residents, neighbours, and friends who expect us to provide them with opportunities to flourish through the provision of solid infrastructure, artistic, business, cultural, leisure, political, recreation and social opportunities. Many of these are in contradiction with one another.

Consider this: As a business, we want to make a profit, but as a public service we should at least break even delivering a variety of goods, infrastructure, and services, programs. However, unlike businesses around town or in the industrial area, we take a loss on the West Central Events Centre (WCEC) and the Co-Op Arena. To raise rates to recoup expenses would result in the loss of affordable leisure and recreation opportunities for our parents and children. To even try and have a cost recovery rate of 50% may provide hardship for some organizations and customers. Likewise, to make a decision focusing on opportunities to flourish, such as moving ahead with Phase 2, could prove fiscally disastrous.

The ancients have a saying that the wise person is the person who knows he/she does not know. I don’t have all the answers. I wish I could speak with you and tell you I have the silver bullet to resolve all of our issues and build an environment and the facilities so we can flourish; but I can’t. However, with due diligence, hard work, listening, and timely information, I believe that we can make decisions to ensure that Kindersley is a healthy and flourishing community filled with opportunity. Our success is through your support and help.

 

Thank you for the privilege of being Mayor for this period in Kindersley's history; I appreciate the trust and I will continue striving to ensure that I do the best I can to ensure Kindersley thrives as both a business and a community of opportunities.