After three terms on council, Beiseker Mayor Bruce Rowe has announced he will run in this fall’s municipal election.
“When I moved here 12 years ago, we wanted to take part in the community and someone convinced me to become part of council,” said Rowe, who lives in Beiseker. “It is nice to be part of the community and contribute to it.”
Rowe said he is proud of the improvements to the village over the past term.
“Probably the best thing that I have been a part of was the industrial park development,” said Rowe. “That has helped out with the tax rates.”
Another key accomplishment has been the Community Links building, which houses services such as counselling and a day care centre, and will eventually be home to the library.
“It is kind of a little mecca for the community services,” said Rowe, who is a retired electrical contractor.
He is also pleased with the percentage of residential to industrial/commercial development in the village.
“We are actually doing pretty good,” said Rowe.
“It is advantageous to us to create jobs in the community.”
The next term will see several changes, said Rowe, including the opening of the railway museum, the main street beautification project and, hopefully, clearing up of ongoing issues, such as high water rates.
He also hopes to see a successful conclusion to the Grasslands development, which has sat stagnant since the developer ran out of money.
Another key issue is the need for overnight facilities in the area.
“We desperately need a hotel or motel here,” said Rowe. “There are things that happen year-round around here and there is just no accommodation. There is no local hotel between Airdrie and Three Hills.”
Rowe said he will continue to promote Beiseker as a tourist destination and believes the town will continue to grow.
“I think we are going to continue to grow at a modest rate,” said Rowe. “We don’t want an explosion, we just want steady and controlled growth.”
Rowe says candidates seeking election should be sure they have enough time to commit to the job, as councillors sit on several boards and meet often. In addition, candidates must be thick skinned and willing to make tough decisions.
“If you are a one-pony show, you aren’t going to last,” said Rowe. “You aren’t there to be king, you are there to do the best you can for the whole community. If you are there for everybody, you just have to suck it up and do the right thing.”