English wanting to serve community

New Vauxhall town council member Linda English has her sights set at helping deal with issues facing the community now that she has ascended to the ranks of the seven-member body.

Elected by acclamation in October, this isn’t the first time English has taken a stab at being a member of town council. English ran unsuccessfully for a position on council in 2010, as well as a municipal by-election in 2012.

“I wanted to be a councillor before, to begin with. I’ve always wanted to be a councillor, because I want to learn more about the politics, and to help the community out.”

English is long-time member of the community who originally hails from the Maritimes.

“I’ve lived in Vauxhall over 20 years. I came from Nova Scotia, and was married here in Alberta. My husband and I — he’s lived here for 35 years, and he’s from Ontario. I lived in Ottawa for 30 years — maybe that’s why I like politics.”

Although there are issues of pressing need in the community that need to be rectified, English is cognizant of the fact that small municipalities need to prioritize their goals in relation to a limited fiscal reality.

“We need to get more businesses to promote more growth here. I’d also like to see the community complex and the pool brought up to date, it needs a lot of repairs. Infrastructure, we all need infrastructure, it’s something that everybody needs right now,” said English.

“Unfortunately, we all don’t have the money, do we?”

Referencing a relatively recent debate in the community several years ago over dissolution of the municipality in favour of joining ranks with the M.D. of Taber, English came out in direct opposition to any future rumblings on that proposal.

“I wouldn’t want the town to become part of the M.D. of Taber right now. I’d like to keep it as a town, with its own people running it. Hopefully, we can get more businesses here, and get more involved with the community.”

Although a single representative on a seven-member town council, English views the job of governing a community as a complete team effort.

“If we all work together, and we’re a good council and pull together, I think we can do quite a bit. It’s going to take time — it won’t be done overnight. I just hope that we’re a better council than the last one, and that we all work together, and stick together, and accomplish our tasks that we have.”

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