Another ‘Sasquatch Country’ local is vying for a spot as director of the Electoral Area-C region.
Wendy Bales served two terms as director from 2008-2014 and is hoping to take on the role again with a platform of transparency and connection.
As a leader, Bales says she prioritizes communication and “making sure that all people know what’s going on.”
“If you educate the public ahead of time and they get the information, they have time to do the research then they can make good decisions. So the consensus is a good decision usually,” she said.
“It’s definitely one of my main concerns as well as voting with the consensus of what people want.”
And that’s exactly how Bales says she would approach revitalizing the Official Community Plan (OCP) for Electoral Area-C.
“The OCP is very overdue. I got it moved up in my last term…I would like to work with communities to get to a consensus on what they want in their own communities and tailor it to [them].”
Another keyword for Bales is sustainability. She says she wants to see more innovation and better regulations that protect the many communities in Electoral Area-C.
Bales wants to see the provincial mines act reformed, with improvements made to safety and health regulations in particular.
“There’s so many overlapping issues between different levels of government,” she said. “I think doing the research, being proactive and looking ahead at the long-term is important, not just what’s happening on the ground now. Your decisions often affect long-term sustainability…”
Bales also intends to focus on a health centre and pushing for bus and bike routes along Highway 7.
She also said she recognizes the importance of representing the diverse communities in the region.
“Governments need to be open and honest in sharing important info, in a fair timely way, to build trust with all communities. Even then, you rarely get a 100 per cent community consensus to agree, but you will get more respect for a fair democratic process if you vote with the consensus,” she said.
Bales’s platform states that during her time as director, she worked on initiatives such as the Lake Errock water expansion, sewer study funding, Eagle Park Trail improvements and securing of funds for the Sasquatch transfer station.
“As your representative, I will communicate, I will listen and I will support the consensus, for initiatives and improvements, that benefit the values of the whole…” she states.
“You deserve to have your voice heard and fairly represented.”
Related: Sts’ailes woman Annie Silver running for director of Area-C ‘Sasquatch Country’
Related: Election season in Agassiz Harrison: What you need to know
nina.grossman@ahobserver.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
