LAC LA BICHE - Maintaining it, improving it and relying on it — those are the main points about local business in each campaign platform of the four Lac La Biche County residents running for Mayor .
All four of the candidates in the municipal election in Lac La Biche County say the importance of local business ... and attracting more ... is the life-blood of the community.
Omer Moghrabi, the incumbent who is running for re-election after seven years in the chair, says the solution to boosting local business involves the entire community, not just a supportive council.
"One thing I stress is working together, the community. It's team-work," said Moghrabi, commending previous councils and community leaders for creating a strong foundation that can be built on, and commending the most recent council for improving and upgrading the actual foundations under the community to attract more business. "We have built and upgraded critical and crucial infrastructure. It has been our focus. We want to draw more business, to show them we have updated services and the amenities for expansion and growth."
The downtown replacement of old utility lines, a streetscape design improvement for Main Street, new recreation areas and even planning for a new aquatic centre — a lot of money has been spent to create the new footprint for growth, and Moghrabi is not apologetic for the big spends, because they will improve the community for all residents.
"If you build it, you build it right," he said.
Mayoral candidate George L'Heureux has been a councillor with Lac La Biche County for the last four years. He too sees the opportunities to grow and support local business — but puts less emphasis on the spend-spend model and more on a re-think on current practices.
"There's a lot more that can be done, more than just concrete and ball fields," he said, explaining that partnerships with industry, finding new ways to improve agricultural exports and pushing the area further as a tourism destination will bring much-needed growth. "We need to be innovators, to be the first out of the gates with new partnership ideas."
Calling recent expenditures on new recreation projects — project he has voted against — L'Heureux says a "tax and spend" administrative style is not the best way to bring in new life to a community.
"'If you built it, they will come,' only works in an Iowa cornfield," he said. "We need to be pro-active if we are going to make a lasting difference."
Arlene Hrynyk says a big part of a community's growth has to come from within, and it has to be rooted on smart, timely and experienced decision-making. She has spent the last 20 years building political and leadership connections. The long-running school board chairperson says keeping in close contact with community residents while finding the right connections at local, provincial and federal levels helps to keep "the fish swimming together."
While believing strongly in the structure of organized management, Hrynyk knows that different and unique options are required to keep moving ahead. Calling herself a "big vision thinker" Hrynyk says her goal is to see the community grow.
Working closely with school divisions over the last two decades, she says a community's success relies heavily on the young generations, children and families, feeling safe and comfortable.
Calling it "a blessing to be able to serve the community," Hrynyk is ready to "roll up her sleeves" and put her longtime political experience towards that success.
Paul Reutov put his name forward for mayor because forward is his preferred direction.
"If you're not moving, you are going backward," said the Plamondon-based business man who has created several start-up businesses and partnered with others in recent years.
Reutov wants to bring new energy to the local political scene. His urgent enthusiasm to promote, grow and draw new business to the region comes from a worry that the current economic climate in the area is growing stagnant. "So many important issues are around us right now... the community I feel is losing its edge, we are losing our advantage, going backwards."
He says "fresh ideas" are needed to keep the younger generations interested and connected to their communities. Old ways of thinking aren't going to keep small communities relevant, he says.
"The old guard is done ... need to step up because right now the younger generation are losing hope," he said, keeping his goals realistic. "I'm not talking about making a big city out of what we have, I just want to make it a vibrant community again."
The municipal election is October 18.
The Lac La Biche POST and the Lac La Biche & District Chamber of Commerce are in the process of planning at least one candidate debate in the week before the elections date. Due to continuing COVID-19 restrictions, the debate will likely be held virtually. Efforts are being explored for the best way to broadcast the debate with audience participation. More details on the events will be updated at www.lakelandtoday.ca and the Lac La Biche POST social media pages.
