Rocky View County (RVC) Division 5 Councillor Jerry Gautreau has announced his bid for re-election in the upcoming municipal election, vying for a spot as councillor of the newly defined Division 6.
Gautreau said he hopes to build on prior successes and serve as a voice of the people in the next term, if re-elected.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to serve the people of RVC for the last four years,” Gautreau said in an email interview. “It is critical as an elected representative of any level of government to remember that we work for the people.”
As of press time, Gautreau is running as the incumbent against newcomer Jeremy Stinson for the council seat in Division 6 – an area encompassing the communities of Conrich, Indus, and Dalemead.
RVC redefined its electoral divisions in October 2020, reducing the number of councillors from nine to seven, effectively redrawing the electoral map in the hopes of providing a better balance of voices on council.
According to Gautreau, in the current term, he has been an advocate for the residents in his division, which included the communities of Conrich and Prince of Peace. He added that he has also been an avid supporter of the Conrich Area Structure Plan, which aims to bring municipal water services to the hamlet.
“When I got elected, it was one of the things I said I would focus on, and I have,” he said. “It will not be long until we will have piped water to the Prince of Peace Village and a more affordable and viable option for the residents of Conrich.
“This is a great accomplishment and one that I am incredibly proud of.”
The incumbent candidate said he has also been an advocate for the stormwater systems in the division. In the current term, he said he has worked toward solving Dalroy’s drainage issues, with the necessary construction to start this year.
While bringing utility services to Conrich is a priority for Gautreau, he added that as a strong fiscal conservative, he has been mindful to steward the public’s dollars when it comes to the County’s operations.
“We have one of the lowest residential tax rates in the province and we need to continue to attract and support investment in areas that it makes sense to do so,” he said. “However, we need to protect the autonomy of the people of RVC by sounding the alarms about the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB), which I am a member of.”
He added he continues to represent the County on the CMRB, speaking out against developments and decisions that might infringe on resident’s rights and freedoms. In addition, he said he is concerned with protecting RVC's autonomy amidst the growth of neighbouring urban communities.
“The county is at risk of being controlled by urbans who do not value our freedoms and way of life,” he said. “We need a strong voice at the table to represent us and I have been honoured to do my part, and I will continue to into the future.”
Gautreau said he has high hopes for Division 6 in the coming years, which include keeping taxes low, protecting farmland, progressing key developments, spearheading long-term planning and bringing more unity to RVC council.
“Rocky View is the fifth largest assessment in Alberta and we are over one million acres in size, so we must work to keep taxes low while providing the services that our residents need,” he said.
“I have enjoyed working on issues that make the lives of the people of my division and all of RVC better as a whole.”
The municipal election is slated for Oct. 18.
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