Samanntha Wright will take on incumbent candidate Eric Lowther to represent the Bearspaw (Div. 8) constituency.
The 11-year Bearspaw resident and mother of three has been involved in grassroots movements – including Rocky View Gravel Watch and Rocky View Forward – and will take a “residents first” approach to her job as councillor with her slogan Wright for Bearspaw.
“We need to put residents first … we’ve forgotten the focus of government and that it’s people who vote – not businesses. Businesses lobby.”
At the top of Wright’s task list is transparency and not disrespecting the needs and wants of residents – citing the delayed Aggregate Resource Policy as a prime example of a government that doesn’t listen; fiscal responsibility and addressing the $90 million county debt – by not building $42-million capital projects such as a new municipal building, when there are vacant commercial spaces. She will also advocate for a finance/audit committee and resident input to such decisions as enhanced policing services.
Wright questions many decisions made by council – including the approvals the Glenbow Ranch Area Structure Plan, paving the way for 16,000 people.
She is tired of a government that pays lip service and she vows to be accountable for her decisions.
“People have the right to comment, based on the facts, but if you refuse to give people the facts you’re working on an unlevel playing field.”
She will also champion for the creation of a voters’ list and look to boost policing services and giving bylaw “more teeth” in the face of rising theft and break-ins.
Wright ran unsuccessfully against current Coun. Eric Lowther in the 2015 byelection for a new Div. 8 representative, as former Coun. Al Sacuta died mid-term.
Wright will only accept resident contributions to her campaigns.
Learn more at wrightforbearspaw.ca.
Coun. Eric Lowther
Coun. Eric Lowther is hopeful that his half term on council (elected to replace late Coun. Al Sacuta in 2015) is proof that he has the best interests of Bearspaw in mind.
“We’ve done some good things but there are some things I would like to finish,” said Lowther, who credits collaboration with the community to his success on council.
Some of what Lowther is most proud of includes his appeal to council this spring to provide emergency pumping solutions along Meadow Drive in Bearspaw and he would like to devise a long-term pumping solution for the area.
He also stressed that one-third of Bearspaw borders the City of Calgary and it takes a councillor who can work with the city well to ensure infrastructure concerns posed in Bearspaw, including road construction, are dealt with.
“It would be irresponsible for me to step away now,” said Lowther, who also wants to see the ARP finalized and implemented in order to govern how aggregate resource is extracted and managed in the county.
Lowther said he has advocated well for the residents regarding the noise that has come out of the Stoney Trail Aggregate Resource Pit in his division.
He also takes pride in engaging with the community on design guidelines to ensure the new Centex Gas Station/Tim Horton’s that will be open by the end of the year or early 2018 “has the look and feel of that has been shaped by the community.”
To learn more or to get in touch, visit ericlowther.ca.
