Rocky View County’s Division 6 Councillor Greg Boehlke will have competition in this fall’s municipal election.
John McMurray, 47, who lives on a quarter section between Airdrie and Irricana, will run for office for the second consecutive term.
He hopes he will be successful, as he says Rocky View is in need of change.
“I think Rocky View council is no longer representing the views and wishes of the community,” said McMurray, who has lived on his farm since 1995. “We need to change the process to get people’s input on proposals.”
Currently, first readings of motions are automatic, and many second and third readings are done at the same time. McMurray would like to see that change.
McMurray also said people in opposition to developments should be given compensation for time and effort spent in research and for appearing at council meeting.
McMurray is frustrated at the debt the County has incurred for infrastructure, such as CrossIron Mills mall.
“They (council) have a flawed economic strategy,” said McMurray. “They spend many millions of dollars to earn only a few million in tax benefit.”
He would like to see better risk management and more thorough economic evaluations done on development proposals.
Although he has no experience in public office, he has been active on several boards, such as his childrens’ school council and sports boards.
McMurray has a background in petroleum engineering and business administration, which he says gives him the expertise to help get the County on track.
“I think those analytical and economic experiences are necessary,” said McMurray. “Risk management… is something that has been sorely missing in Rocky View.”
McMurray says he has a passion for the County, and wants to see it remain rural.
He is alarmed at the current council’s vision for long-term growth, which he says would see about 200 million people living in the Calgary region in 200 years, at the projected rate.
“That is not sustainable,” said McMurray.
“Our farmland shouldn’t be converted to city land. Rocky View should seek to remain rural and work on its rural strengths, rather than compete for urban developments and infrastructure. The point is that growth must eventually stop. We should do it while we have a surplus of resources, such as water, rather than when we’ve reached the limits of the environment.”
According to McMurray, Rocky View can’t compete because of the high infrastructure costs associated with developing.
Additionally, he said that while Calgary and Airdrie can charge up to $62,000 per acre for servicing, the County charges about a fifth of that.
“That is where we are spending millions of dollars running lines from Chestermere to Balzac,” he said.
“We shouldn’t try to compete with them when we have such a huge cost for development.”
