Council candidate Micheal Starner believes he has a strong sense of what Hatters of all walks of life are looking for in this city, and says by using kindness and an open mind he can be a voice for the people.--Submitted Photo
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
Coming off a 2021 mayoral campaign and years in the community as none other than Santa Claus, council hopeful Micheal Starner believes it’s time for some change in Medicine Hat.
Starner has seen first hand what is on the minds of residents from all backgrounds while committed to Holiday cheer. From that, he feels he’s gained an insight into what is needed here in Medicine Hat and has made the decision to become a strong advocate for it.
“I’d like to kind of be a voice for these people and try to keep costs down,” said Starner. “If I can’t keep costs low, I’d like to try and keep things levelled so it’s not overwhelming.”
First and foremost within his mind are recent issues regarding the city manager, something he would like to ensure does not see any repeats.
“What I would like to see with that is I’d like to revise the city manager’s contract to include more exit clauses so we don’t run into any more issues with any kind of suing or tax dollars being spent,” said Starner.
Once those policies are better defined, he turns his eye toward bringing more people and business into Medicine Hat.
Starner believes there is great potential for tourism within the City of Medicine Hat and that there is great potential for economic good in inviting people to come and spend time here.
One way he believes this should happen is through investment in the parks and green spaces, which serve as attractions and outdoor recreation sites, and inviting more visiting municipalities and businesses to take part in events like parades.
“I believe Echo Dale has a lot of potential, you can do big things with Echo Dale. People want the water slides, for example. Now I still encourage private business to do all that, but we could put the water slides at Echo Dale,” said Starner. “You could put a drive-in theatre at Echo Dale, and if people are concerned about getting out there, we can have a bus system that takes people out there. There’s so much more we could be doing there.”
Once people are here for these attractions, says Starner, they should see a lush and attractive city. This is why he would also like to invest more in the aesthetic and landscaping of the city to put its best face forward.
“What I’d like to see is us planting a few fruit trees,” said Starner. “That kind of tackles feeding the homeless a little bit, as well as some animals, and of course, it brings in pollination. I love nature. When I see how connected we are to natural waterways, we should have the ability to be able to water the hills.”
If elected, Starner commits to, above all things, leading with kindness.
He believes kindness can go a long way in most matters, as can having an open mind. Starner also has a largely middle-of-the-road approach to politic, which he feels will help him find compromises and hear ideas for both sides of the spectrum, a valuable tool in board-based governance such as city council.
Residents can expect signs to appear along city streets in the near future and to see Starner at various candidate events such as the forums set up by the Chamber of Commerce for this week.
