Municipal Election 2026: Don Bowman, Candidate for Mayor

Join us for a special series of CAC: In Conversation, covering the 2026 Municipal Election in the Fundy Albert Region. 

In this conversation, we chat with Don Bowman, Candidate for the position of Mayor.  

All candidates were given a list of potential questions at least 24 hours in advance of their interview and were asked the same questions. We have completed light editing for clarity, length, and sound quality. All views and opinions represented in the interviews are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect those of Connecting Albert County. 

Connecting Albert County thanks our presenting sponsor, the Bennett & Albert County Healthcare Foundation.

For more information on Connecting Albert County, please go to our website or find us on Facebook or Instagram.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hello and welcome to Connecting Albert County in Conversation as part of our special series covering the 2026 municipal elections. I'm Melody Land, as always, the coordinator of CAC. And today I'm here with Don Bowman, who is one of two candidates running for mayor in Sunday Albert. Thank you for being here with us today, Dawn.

SPEAKER_02 0:26

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 0:27

It is a pleasure to take some time out of your busy schedule to have a chat with us. We're doing this as a way to help, first of all, let the community know that there is an election happening and to help with engagement. We want to get as many people out there as we can to vote, as well as to have informed voters so that they have an opportunity to really get to know the candidates and they can make the choice they'd like to make. And in return, for candidates to have an opportunity to reach a wider range of potential voters. And so thank you for being here because your efforts in that make it able for us to do our job. And I really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_02 1:05

I appreciate you offering this.

SPEAKER_00 1:08

I appreciate that. So to begin, um, how about a little self-introduction? Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

SPEAKER_02 1:16

Uh yeah, I I've been uh proven to be a motivated person that uh by leading many challenges, uh, you know, working with others to provide solutions to complex HBACR uh requirements while driving so successful solutions. And I know HBACR is uh it's a it's an acronym that maybe isn't that well known, but it it's heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration. So when you've got a when you've got to write that out, you almost need a separate paragraph for it. So we condense it down. Um I enjoy full interaction with all levels of participants when involved in projects uh or you know just general things, getting things done, and uh very open to listening and implementing new ideas that that are shared by others. Uh these experience experiences drive a desire to continue to find places, to to apply the people's strengths, and to continue to learn from the parties involved. Um connecting with with people of Fundy Albert feels effortless, effortless because we're we're bound by the same pride in our home, being Albert County, Fundy Albert, uh the same caring spirit, the same history, and the same drive to ensure everyone belongs. Having no political, like no formal political experience, I'd like to instead uh share some community focused roles that are closely aligned with with the community. Um actively involved as president of Grays Island Cemetery, responsible for organizing and conducting annual meetings. Um I was also fortunate enough to be involved with on and the Grays Island board, being the president, of course, um, to help build a new charter of rights. It's I guess it's kind of a nice, nice word for saying the rules of the cemetery. Like so it's that was a challenge, and it still is because we've got, and I I know that a lot of people know Grays Island pretty well. It's we've got graves that are coming up to the 200-year mark. So we've got fifth and sixth generation family members looking to be buried there, and they they have a tendency to believe that, oh well, great-great-grandfather was buried there, so I'm entitled to be buried there. And they very well may be, but legally we have to make sure that there's a trail, because it when you're in the fifth and sixth generation, you've got five or six hundred people that could potentially say that they've got the same claim. So we you know, you don't because it's you're dealing with neighbors, you don't want to be harsh on people, but you have to you have to get that message clear. So I know we've done well with that. So um the the other piece that I've that I've done uh this year I was moved to vice president at the Hillsborough Kawana's, which is a global uh organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community at a time. With for me, the focus on children is I guess it's probably the strongest one coming up through uh coming up through Boy Scouts and that. I I moved on to be a leader to the to the younger kids. And it to me it was great to watch these kids learn from you know learn from us and take on some good good habits that they you know they move through life with. So it's been really nice that way. Being consistently involved in community and club members who who share similar experiences has helped create meaningful and positive outcomes.

SPEAKER_00 5:17

So, with all of this community experience, um, how would you describe your leadership style?

SPEAKER_02 5:25

My leadership style would be uh it would be considered to be like a democratic due to the preferences of allowing to hear all ideas to build a strong and supportive solution to problems.

SPEAKER_00 5:41

And I'm sure you've had this experience. We know that whenever you put more than one person in a room, um, there's going to be some disagreements. And when you have a group of people representing a group of people, like we have a situation on council and a municipal government, there is bound to be conflict. And in fact, conflict can be a positive thing because it can promote change and growth and development. It just depends how we handle it. So, how would you handle and navigate conflict in a municipal situation?

SPEAKER_02 6:18

You know, that that is a very challenging question because I I haven't been in the municipal situation, but I have seen some of the I guess the the conversation that happens outside of council meetings by you know people that that do have conflictive ideas of what may have happened or what could happen in the future. And those, to be totally honest with you, I believe that we need to listen to all angles and you know, try to rationalize why you know why does that person uh appear to be conflictive? Because they probably aren't conflictive, because at the end of the day, we all want a positive result. We don't want to be fighting, I don't think. At least I I I I can say honestly that I don't see that in our community, and that being right from Riverview all the way to Fundy Park. The people in this in this area are just they they're not about conflict. They're definitely about their opinion for sure, but not conflict.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

And so why have you decided to run in this particular municipal election, Don?

SPEAKER_02 7:40

Uh I've I've decided to run in this this one mostly because well it started off I was gonna run for counsel, and I because I was late coming to the table, or maybe it was good that I do well, I was late, I saw some really good candidates step up in the area that I was in. So I at that point I kind of resigned myself to supporting the candidates rather than you know going against them. Well, really wouldn't be going against, I guess, it'd be running like running side by side with them. I I but at the end of the day, why split a vote when you know you you basically have an equal match there? So I I kind of just I had my document all filled out and everything, and at the very last moment I was called in by a couple of community members. Well, it wasn't just a couple, it was enough that they persuaded me uh on five thirty at 5:30 the night before the cutoff, they convinced me that I should run for mayor. Uh that it was a position that I didn't put a lot of thought into, but I I have an idea of what would what the expectations are, and you know, like they they talk about expectations as well. So I thought, you know what, I I think I can do it.

SPEAKER_00 9:09

So how have you been preparing to run?

SPEAKER_02 9:12

Uh I've been taught I've been talking with a lot of people to see what their concerns are, like to just kind of get a heads up on on where we're going and that. Um I have I was fortunate enough to to catch up with Derek in Alma, uh, knowing that he wouldn't be uh I guess he he's not he doesn't have anybody running against him, so he's not gonna be challenged. So he was able to give me a lot of information about the you know what the people of Alma were were all about, and he actually gave me information about the fact that he feels that, and I I don't want to say this the wrong way, but he kind of led me to believe that he feels that there's uh split concerns in that riding. It's like I guess it's kind of a geographical concern because when you're in when you're in the core of Alma, obviously water's an issue, and if you're out in you're you're in one of the LSDs, well you're pulling from your own wealth, so you know the water wouldn't necessarily be as critical. So that there are unique um concerns there, and I I know that there's can the same type of concerns or pockets of concerns right across the board, but again, like they say, at the end of the day, we're we're all fundy Albert people and there's there's no issue there.

SPEAKER_00 10:36

So speaking of uh the issues, have you had time yet to develop a platform? Or what would you say if you haven't had time as of yet, um, what are the most pressing issues that you would say funde Albert is facing these days?

SPEAKER_02 10:54

Um you know what? I'm gonna touch on the platform piece first because for me uh the platform question, I I honestly don't believe that I'm gonna say that I'm ready to to give or present a platform other than delivering old town straight up communication from anything higher than that it would be speculatory, and it could actually be read as uh you know, it could be read that this guy's gonna get in and this is all he's gonna want to do. And I don't want to portray that because the the first and foremost thing I need to do is is be in a position where my listening and maybe my input would be a benefit. So I first off you have to listen for sure. And I guess the the my my big thing at the end of the day is we all have to walk away from it having fun. You know, whether that whether that be the person that comes with the issue or whether that be the people that are involved in in coming up with a resolution.

SPEAKER_00 12:12

We need to and so what do you think some of those pressing issues are that we are facing?

SPEAKER_02 12:18

Uh well, yeah, that's I guess that's the same thing, like I said to Derek. I said, other than the obvious being the roads going you know through through our area and the water, what would be the pressing issues for Alma? And you know, like I I don't know that I need to rehash the ones for his area, but you know, like that. I I really think that the issues are are in all honesty, they're pretty much covered by the questions that are asked in this in this uh interview. Like they're great questions, like what are we gonna do to help people out that are are having a rough time right now? Like that that's a great question because you you know you could just veer around it and say, oh well, you know, like to each his own, but that's not that's not us, that's not Fundy Albert.

SPEAKER_00 13:10

Right. So, how would you respond to folks that have questions about time? We know that serving community through municipal government is very time consuming. There are multiple meetings per month at various times of the day and evening, as well as community events, boards, other projects, I'm sure that come up. Can you speak to any of the concerns that voters might have about how you will manage your time and how available you'll be to serve your constituents?

SPEAKER_02 13:42

Yeah, I I I this one here I I really put a lot of thought into because like being involved in you know a couple of volunteer things, having a full-time job. Um, you know, I've got I do have flexible hours and everything else, so that's not a problem. I typically get up at three in the morning and go to bed around eight or nine at night. So availability is there's quite a wide, wide range in the day that I'm available. But I I I would have to say that if we can keep to what is truly important, time and availability will not be an issue. Because I I believe that just and again, this is a belief of mine. Not I don't know the facts, but what I believe is I believe that sometimes uh we're or we see our um council people being led to items that they really can't do much with. And it's unfortunate because it you know, like when you're in that kind of position, you want to make sure that you do the best for the people that put you there. And you you know, you're trying to listen and you're trying to push out the ideas, but I think if you can funnel some of that down, you can focus on key things and get those done and then you know free up more time, right? Um, you know, like I say, with me me not being in the position previously, um, you know, people might question that, but I like to believe that we can all you know work together to create positive outcomes, and that alone will shorten the time that's spent on, you know, like you say, the the disagreements and stuff. We can move on to something else, right?

SPEAKER_00 15:31

Earlier this year, there was a lot of discussion um in the news and on social media around mandatory training for municipal counselors and the availability of this training. Are you for or against required training for municipal counselors and those serving in the municipal office? And have you had any training thus far?

SPEAKER_02 15:57

Um, I what I'm gonna say here is training for counselors and uh I would hope the mayor would be included in the thing, right?

SPEAKER_00 16:05

Yes, definitely.

SPEAKER_02 16:07

If there's value in this, for sure. I I think you like you need to be able to look at look at what's available there. Um, you know, this you know, this answer shows that as a community member, this mandatory training platform was was not shared with the public, or at least not on a platform that we had available. You know, had it been in in the CAC, you know, like here I'm a big proponent of the CAC because I believe that this community needs it bad. Um, you know, so not not having seen the training, you know, what it's about, uh it's a little unfair to say, you know, whether I I'm pro or you know, I'm against it, right? So um, but I think, you know, how much training do you need to talk to your neighbor? That's like that really drives me. It's like I I get it that people maybe there's formalities that that a higher government wants to see you actioning, but is it really necessary? To me, it's more more necessary for me to refer to you by name than it is to say, oh, you're the lady from the paper thing. Like there's more value in saying, you know, Melody, thank you very much, or you know, like that goes farther than thank you, paper lady. You know what I mean? So, and the same goes with the community, but more focus on that and maybe less focus on the etiquette or whatever you want to call it.

SPEAKER_00 17:48

Piggybacking off of that, um, there were questions around familiarity with policy and procedure that is required through the New Brunswick Local Governance Act. This act is the primary legislation that governs municipalities, rural communities, and regional districts following major reforms effective in January of 2023. During that time, there were some major changes that happened to it and key updates that include regional service delivery changes, a new local governance commission, and the restructuring of local service districts. The act sets the framework for council powers, financial duties, and bylaws. Can you share with us your level of familiarity with the New Brunswick Local Governance Act?

SPEAKER_02 18:37

Well, I'd like to just start off by saying, you know, I'm not opposed to rules and regulations. I'm sorry if I change the wording, but that's the way I read it. Uh, you know, it sounds sounds to be, and yes, we you know, we need to review things like this, similar to reviewing reviewing rules of the road, so we know what side of the road to be driving on. Uh, but my first duty would be to our community. And if uh policy or procedure gets in the way, we need to review these issues again, you know. Like, you know, I'm really not sure why, you know, what why we aren't being questioned about a guide that helps us with guidance on political expectations from higher governing bodies rather than being handed a policy book. You know, how about a little guidance? Like, doesn't that sound a little nicer? Guidance as opposed to procedures? Procedure, you know, you know, you're into something new, and it I don't know. I don't think I've ever seen anybody take a two-year-old child and try to give them procedures, they're trying to give them guidance to walk.

SPEAKER_00 19:46

Moving into other um pressing issues that have come up from the community, one is in the area of transparency and conflicts of interest. There have been many public conversations around concerns in regards to transparency of local council and perceived conflicts of interest that have occurred around decision making of municipal counselors and the municipality. What is your response to this concern and how has it impacted local governance?

SPEAKER_02 20:20

Okay, let me talk about transparency first. Uh, I believe I, you know, I may have already talked about this, but firstly, I'd like to say that it seems like for many people the word transparency is just a catch-all. Now, personally, I seeing transparency uh as being something we see through almost you know almost makes it a void. You know, listening to the news, we hear this term used uh far too often, and like the void, we don't see any expected results. You know, being honest and having ideas of you know how to openly share communications or have open conversation with our neighbors will yield a much better result than trying to explain what is meant when people say transparent or I will be as transparent as possible. You know, like we hear that way too much. So, like I say, I again I I still hold to the old town straight up conversation.

SPEAKER_01 21:27

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 21:27

Which, you know, that if you want to say that equates to transparency, that's fine. But it's, you know, like I say, it it to me it feels too much like a buzzword. It it's like this will get me off the hook if I say I'm being transparent.

SPEAKER_00 21:42

So if you are elected as mayor, um, how would you hold yourself and the council to be transparent or clear and avoid conflicts of interest? How would you institutionalize that in your municipal work?

SPEAKER_02 22:01

I I would look for feedback from my neighbors. And I'm sorry, I don't call people constituents or anything like that. I prefer neighbors because at the end of the day, that's who we are. If the feedback from them says you're not giving us enough information, or you're you're if they like to use the word transparent, you're not being transparent with us, or we don't feel like you're being, then you know what? You need to step it up and you need to get them the answers to make them feel that they're getting the information that they're asking for. It's nobody nobody likes to feel like they're in the dark, not when it's not when it's something that happens to them or or it affects them. So it's to me, it's fairly easy. If you again, if you're willing to listen, you'll get the you'll get the information you need, and then you know where you know how to action it. I feel that that again that the people that I see running in this election, and I'm not pointing at anyone in the in in or any individual, but all of the people in this in this election have the integrity and the the rooting to support their neighbors. So they're not they wouldn't they wouldn't let it slide by either. So collectively, I'm sure it would be great that way.

SPEAKER_00 23:26

We're going to move into questions around specific files or groupings of topics that the municipality has responsibility for or um engagement with. And I have pulled together a variety of questions and have tried to kind of condense them as best I can. So the first file is around nature and environmental concerns. The village of Funde Albert has a lot of resources, but perhaps the most obvious is our connection to our natural environment, which is so significant that it's actually highlighted in our tagline, friendly by nature. We're also part of the UNESCO Funde Biosphere region, which is a huge and globally significant designation. How do you see the municipality's role in maintaining, managing, and utilizing our natural resources?

SPEAKER_02 24:22

Well, first off, I I know that the large percentage of our community cares about these issues. Um they we don't see community members typically littering, and yet we see visitors littering from one end to the other end of our of Fundy Albert, of our, you know, our I guess our our natural environment, I guess, I'll blend the words. Like it was almost every hundred yards there'd be a coffee cup at the side of the road, and that was from somebody leaving our community. For me, I look at that and I think, you know, maybe maybe we're missing something. And I think the something we might be missing is accessible garbage cans. We have we have garbage cans, like large garbage hoppers all over the place, but they're usually all locked, which I understand because you don't want people throwing tires and batteries and stuff in there that that's harmful to you to the environment. But we don't have something where a tourist could come through town and pull over and throw throw their refuse out from McDonald's and stuff. So it goes out to the side of the road. The odd thing is the same visitor will be leaving, leaving, say they went to Alma, they'll be leaving and they'll be going back to Moncton, and then they wonder why they hit an animal because the animal's out there eating your McDonald's. Also, again, it just just having accessible accessibility that will would help that piece of it. Uh, as far as the you know, the environment goes, uh, with I guess like for climate change, for example, uh, that's where one of my specialties. I deal with climate change daily in what I do because I deal with refrigerants, which are probably one of the leading causes of uh ozone depletion and you know global warming, and then next PFAs. So, you know, I'm very well versed in that. In fact, I train contractors as well as uh our own people. So, you know, I'm I'm very very up on that, and I know what what we've done as an industry to to protect environments is it's huge.

SPEAKER_00 26:54

So specifically, questions that have come in um as well have had to do with the spraying of glycophates in our region, and I'm just wondering if you have any thoughts about that topic in particular.

SPEAKER_02 27:10

Well, um I lived right beside um the first lady that passed away from a presumably um phosphate or whatever this is, phosphor. The glycephates, phosphates, yeah. She put she passed away from that like through uh brain and it you know, it was kind of sad to see. That was out in Shepardia area. Uh so you know, but the whole thing is for for me, really. I I'd have to say right up front, and not to slight anybody, but I need the facts on this before really being able to weigh in properly. I need to understand, you know, what what uh our uh council can do about it. Because I don't know what level that's at. If it if that's at a provincial level, maybe our council can't do anything except for support the local people in anything they're doing to try and combat it. We could also, as a council, we could gather data, you know, and and do something educational for the people that are that are the closest to this. But you know, like I say, it might not be something we can actually do on our level. Like we we certainly want to do want to be able to do everything, but we can't go out and fix you know major highways and stuff like that. That's it's not within our grasp. So again, it comes out of supporting our neighbors.

SPEAKER_00 28:44

Moving into um the file on housing, poverty, cost of living, those sorts of things. There is always discussion around challenges of living. But I think uh it's safe to say that the cost of living has had a huge impact on residents in our area. Precarious housing is a problem in our region, and some statistics suggest that we have a majorly significant number of residents that are within a couple of paychecks at risk of homelessness or being displaced. There has been an increased use of food banks, other food security resources, and I could go on. I'm wondering how have you or how will you utilize the full range of the municipality's tools and resources to increase access to affordable housing, reducing or eliminating homelessness, increase food security, or in general, have a positive effect in any area of poverty reduction?

SPEAKER_02 29:46

Well, uh like I have a great appreciation for how dire this issue is. And you know, I I would look I would look to try to form a committee of neighbors that find themselves in this position or others that can work with our neighbors that are in those positions because not you know, not everybody wants to be centered out or feel like they're being centered out. So we we could work on uh ways to help with the solution, you know. And initial initially, though, we need to find out the facts. You know, is it is this like this our community has they've got we've well we've got homes that are over 200 years old. You know, is it is it a matter that the home needs, you know, the home needs some help, or you know, do the people need some help, you know, catching up with that? Because that becomes a big financial burden if you're trying to you know maintain a property that that maybe it let it was let go for 50 years, or you know, maybe nobody realized something was happening to it for 50 years. But you know, our you know, our community is built on built with uh proud, hardworking people that care, and you know, they don't they want they don't want to be left in these situations, so I'm positive we can find a way to build positive results together. Like, you know, we at the end of the day, Fundy Albert does not leave anybody behind.

unknown 31:19

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 31:20

So related to this is economic development, I think. And what do you see as the municipal council's role in regards to economic development and the best ways to grow our community?

SPEAKER_02 31:34

Uh this well, this takes backbone to deliver results, the economic development. Um, you know, I've worked to promote local businesses, and and as a community, I've I've seen where we promote these businesses and each other at the same time. You know, this demonstrated by by a majority of our local businesses by sharing space in uh each other's place of business to promote others. You know, we go in we go almost anywhere in Fundy Albert, and you're gonna find pottery from multiple, well, multiple different people that are making it. You're gonna find uh sewing sewing things, and and nobody's afraid to share it into the same place or like into sorry, into each other's places. The only thing that I that I read into that that might be an issue, but again, uh there's kind of a solution that would be CAC again. Sorry to keep pecking on you, but um CAC could work with the community to build a visitor's guide. Uh in the visitor's guide, you could um well, I shouldn't say you, we could we could explain that this universal offering is there for them because if if they if just say, for example, they saw a really neat cup, a pottery cup that somebody made, they saw it in a shop and they went down the road to a couple of different shops and say, you know, I really should have got that one. Now they're in another shop where they see something made by the same person, maybe another cup, maybe not the exact same one, but it's it's similar enough that they would buy that. But they might be a little bit hedgy because they they want to support the first artist. Maybe they saw the first artist's name. But if we let the let visitors know that these are universal products for the one artist, and you'll see them in all these different places, it'd be kind of neat. And you know, it it's not gonna hurt the it won't hurt the sales of the product for sure. If anything, like I say, you know, like we all know what it's like. We go we go places where something to see, and you always kind of think in your back of your mind, like, should I bought that or shouldn't I? This gives we're giving people multiple opportunities to buy that, but we're we're just not clear with the message.

SPEAKER_00 34:12

Related, you mentioned about pottery, which is really well connected to the next file, which is arts, culture, and history. Do you think art and culture add value to our municipality?

SPEAKER_02 34:25

Uh being rich in all three of these areas in our community has never been an issue. Um, in fact, as a member of the community, I I always make a point to show visitors uh that come and visit me that you know what they're missing. You know, we've got we've got um attractions in our community that rival Niagara Falls. And our attractions are a fraction of the price. You know, so we you know it's amazing. I wish I recorded some of the people that came to visit us and they they leave here and it's like wow, we never thought for a minute that there was that much there. And that you know, that that takes you into the you know, into the arts, the culture, and the history, because that's what you're you're showing these people. You know, we've got Steve's house, right? It's Steve's house. We all know that it's off the main road. How many people actually visit our area and and get the opportunity to see that? They drive down 114 and it's like poof, gone. You know, and so that we need to help our people that are in those areas. And I know that there right now there's efforts going on in in that area because that's where the koanas is. So as a group, we've got the Legion, the Koanas, the church, the Caledonia Place, the the Steve's house, all trying to come together on different things that will create a bigger noise and draw the people off the 114 together.

unknown 36:06

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 36:06

And it can happen in multiple places in our community.

unknown 36:10

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 36:11

So we know roads are always a concern for residents, especially this time of year, but infrastructure includes even more than roads. Since we've amalgamated, we have infrastructure from um just the other side of Riverview in Lower Coverdale all the way down to Alma to manage. How have you or how would you utilize the range of the municipalities' tools and resources in managing, maintaining, or improving important municipal infrastructure, or develop new projects or initiatives?

SPEAKER_02 36:46

Um I know some of our roads have and andor are disappearing, and that that bothers me. I've got a a map book that was given to me from the 1970s, and it almost makes you want to cry because you see these roads that are disappearing. And you know, initially we see some of these roads being changed over to uh four by four or side-by-side, however you want to call those vehicles. I I'm not a I'm not one of those people I don't have every weekend to go out and do that, but I I know how I know it's very enjoyable, but initially though the roads that start fading away are used by those people, and the the province leaves those things to just decay and disappear. I I would say as an example, and I it's close close to home. So Steve Coates wrote, it's you know, it's kind of sad because you you've got you've got a beautiful stream there that used to be used for uh people picnicking and stuff like that, and having a real good time down there. But you know, if you if you if you're like me, when I first got here, I I shop on marketplace and okay, I'm on Steve Coates Road. So I drive the Steve Coates Road that I know, and I go down I go down Salem Road. Oh no, that person's down the Dotson. And it's like, don't try to drive there. You know what I mean? It's it's and it's really unfortunate. It's because that community could definitely use that that road being fixed. I they don't make it a priority, they don't they they probably don't scream and carry on about it because they know they don't they probably feel at this point that their voice isn't being heard. But you know, like I that's just one small example. There's other examples, obviously. Shepardy Mountains got roads that are in the same condition, and it's it's really uh it's unfortunate. It's kind of sad because, like I say, it's like that's that leads to you know more interesting things for tourists to get involved in. And you know, to to be able to take a backroads trip is always, in my mind, is always way better than zipping down the 114.

SPEAKER_00 39:12

Infrastructure has gotten more complicated, I think, when there were you know individual locations, now it being all of one. But regardless of our feelings on amalgamation, we do have to move forward and live with the consequences of it. How will you approach challenges related to this experience? And are you prepared to serve the greater community of Fundy Albert?

SPEAKER_02 39:42

Well, let me hit that part of it first. As far as I'm concerned, Albert Fundy is great. There is no greater part where we're great right across the board. So uh absolutely there to support, even though it's the largest landmass on the map for municipalities, it's well worth the drive. The people from like I like I've said a couple of times, the people from end-to-end are there's commonality there in the fact that we all have the same interests, the same, you know, same history and the same drive. We don't have the same address, so there is a little difference. So, you know, like like I don't know, it that that piece of it, there's in my mind, there's never a question. In fact, uh when I ran the last time as a counselor, that was what kind of one of my questions that I I never really got a good clean answer on. Is if you are gonna if you're talking about uh moving council meetings, I feel that it's important that you have a council meeting in each one of your wards. Never mind saying, well, this ward doesn't feel like it can facilitate it. Those people will facilitate it in that ward, one way or another, even if you've got to go on somebody's patio, uh unless the higher ups don't like that, but I'm we'll bring a camera into somebody's backyard. That's all it's just as important for them to see that that you care about their area as the next one, because these areas were all individually uh taken care of before the amalgamation, and I I honestly don't believe that we have a majority of people that are even content with the fact that we're amalgamated yet. So that what and it makes sense because if you are or if you don't have inclusion, then where are you? And I it's not I'm not pointing fingers at anybody or anything that's been done in the past, it's it's just like I say, uh that was a question that I had, and I know that it was never it was never addressed the fact that you you know that there should be there should be meetings spread out. Now it if you do one meeting, I don't know, say in uh out Dawson way, if you go out Dawson Way and you do one meeting out there and you do four or five in Hillsborough, I don't think that's an issue. I think it's just to say we care enough that that you're in that community, here we are. You know, it's no I don't think anybody counts, you know. Oh, you were in Alma four times. Well, who cares? Right, you were in Alma, you you listen to the local concerns. If you are able to come back, or if you're able to build solutions together, then maybe you don't need to be there as much. Maybe there's other other more pressing areas, and everybody understands that.

SPEAKER_00 42:56

Thank you very much for your response to this question and all of the ones we've gone through. As we wrap up our time chatting together today, um, do you have any final thoughts? Is there anything we haven't covered that you want municipal residents to know about you and your bid in this election?

SPEAKER_02 43:14

Well, if I could, I'd just like to uh go over the what I wrote down for final thoughts. And it's um right off, I'm not gonna tell you tell anyone in the community that I am the best for the job or I will do better than somebody. I I will though be open to communication and respect feedback from my neighbors. And if if I'm not doing the best or better, I will listen to you and will become the better the better neighbor that will or that we all want. Um talking with me will be like talking with another member of your family family, and I know I can take the good with the bad and Together we can make we can make it great.

SPEAKER_00 44:03

And I think that is a great place for us to wrap up today, John. Again, I thank you for your time in uh chatting with me and for the listeners that will be tuning into this. And uh we really do appreciate your time.

SPEAKER_02 44:18

Thank you for everything you do for the community, Melody. The the CAC and people wouldn't know where to be without that and you.

SPEAKER_00 44:27

I appreciate that. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 44:30

To me, honestly, I look for extended growth of the CAC.

SPEAKER_00 44:35

Well, thank you again, and uh thanks to our listeners. We're glad you're here. And uh make sure to check out all the interviews with the candidates that are running, even if they're not in your ward, it is a great opportunity to get to know the people that will be representing you. And uh again, special thanks to Don Bowman, who is a candidate for mayor. Thanks again, and we'll talk to you soon.