Medicine Hat native Allison Knodel hopes a seat on city council can give her the chance to focus on the humanity of all residents.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
Allison Knodel is a born and bred Hatter with deep family roots in the Medicine Hat community. It’s that experience, along with her work as a local high school educator, which she brings to the table in her bid to become city councillor.
“I’ve lived my whole life here,” said Knodel. “I really love my city.”
Knodel says her vision of the city is one focused on the humanity of residents.
She highlighted the city does engagement well with residents and, “I’d like to continue that and make it a more robust, regular process.”
That type of robust engagement would include gathering information from residents to obtain data “to help guide decision making. Not just on controversial topics but also common topics,” she said.
There also needs to be a clear vision for the city communicated to administration, complete with goals and benchmarks.
Developing neighbourhoods based on connecting residents, allowing them to express themselves as a group and to do so in an environmentally sustainable way is also a goal of Knodel.
While Knodel says she recognizes city staff work hard, “the community gets frustrated because they don’t always know what the point is. Why are they doing the things the way that they are?”
There are conflicts between downtown business owners and the city’s homeless population that need to be addressed.
While Knodel says is a supporter of harm reduction, the issue is far more complex than simply a safe-injection site, and consultations with input from all stakeholders should be used in developing a plan.
And the issue stems from the deep trauma many of those who find themselves drug addicted are suffering from, which needs to be cared for.
She also believes a COVID recovery plan should be developed which is not solely focused on one segment of the community.
“You have to look at the whole picture, not just economics,” she said.
If elected Knodel says her first priority will be to change the mindset of city hall as the current one may have reached its due date.
“There is a good chunk of people in the community that don’t feel the decisions being made represent them,” she said.
