Retired firefighter Brian Webster will vie for a seat on city council this fall.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
As a firefighter in the region for 40 years, Brian Webster says his time as a public servant gives him ample experience in working with and for the residents of Medicine Hat.
The first-time candidate running for councillor who retired from the city’s fire service as deputy chief a couple of years ago, says he also has been a volunteer with a number of community groups in the lead-up to his bid for city council.
Webster says fiscal responsibility is a huge topic, “and the city seems to be spending money quite freely right now and that needs to be reigned in.”
The city’s Financially Fit program is finding savings but, “they’re not meeting the target they set.”
Webster says the solution needs to involve more than closing city facilities and laying people off.
“One of the things we need to have to attract people to Medicine Hat is recreation facilities that are accessible to the public,” said Webster.
Regarding the municipal electric generation, Webster says he was angered by the idea city council would consider selling the more than 100-year-old public asset.
“It’s been profitable every year, the people of the Hat have paid for the upgrades, paid for the infrastructure,” said Webster.
And because of that investment, residents should be paying electrical rates not set by the provincial average but, “we should be paying the least in the province.”
If elected, Webster would strive to have council work more like a team – not without public disagreements – but without belittling.
On the issue of transparency, Webster says there isn’t much at city hall currently, “and that needs to change.”
Webster used the example of how council brought forward the idea of selling the city’s electrical generation assets as an example of this.
“There was no forewarning or prior discussions going, ‘This is what we’re thinking. What does the public think?’ It was just this is what we are going to do,” said Webster.
And the same thing occurred with the Invest Medicine Hat issue, added Webster.
“There (was) no transparency on that.”
Webster says council appears to be overusing the ability to discuss items behind closed doors, and not justifying it when they do.
