Two Athabasca County councillors and one newcomer to municipal politics will take their places on county council this fall unchallenged. County Reeve Doris Splane, Coun.
Two Athabasca County councillors and one newcomer to municipal politics will take their places on county council this fall unchallenged.
County Reeve Doris Splane, Coun. Dennis Willcott and retired fire chief Travais Johnson were acclaimed after nomination day Sept. 18.
Travais Johnson
Johnson was the only acclaimed newcomer to politics in Athabasca County for the Grassland area.
He said he decided to run to “do some good for the community (as) a councillor and address some of our issues and help our county grow forward. ”
Johnson said his past as fire chief of the Grassland Fire Department and as volunteer firefighter taught him to look for solutions and get all the facts.
“Education is key, no matter if you're coming onto an accident scene or any kind of problem, you have to look for a solution that works for everyone, whether it's in safety, whether it's financially. ”
Johnson comes from a farming background and a family that has been in Grassland for about a century. He currently works selling trailers.
He is also vice president of the Atmore Community League and president of the Atmore Hoop-a-thon.
“I've been volunteering and involved in the community all the time, ” he said. “I kind of touch base with all different members of our community. ”
Johnson said that he is concerned with roads, infrastructure and the cost of the pool.
He said he received his first call to check out roads within 24 hours of being acclaimed.
“(I'm) just wanting to kind of move things forward, ” he said. “I figured the best way to do that is contribute. You can't get anywhere sitting on the fence and complaining. You've got to get in there, roll up your sleeves and move forward. ”
Johnson will be taking over retiring councillor Paul Ponich's seat in the council chambers after the Oct. 16 election.
Doris Splane
Splane is preparing for her sixth term on council after holding her chair for 16 years.
“I'm not here for how long I can be there, ” she said. “It's not something that I think about. I really enjoy people and this is an opportunity to work with people and I enjoy what I'm doing. ”
Splane moved to Athabasca in 1975 as a young nurse and since then has taken up farming with her husband.
“My roots are deep. I really like it here and this is probably where I will spend the rest of my time, ” she said.
Splane said she looks forward to working more on the development of the pool, the Boyle Spray Park and the county's economic development.
Over the years she has been chair of the Athabasca Regional Waste Management Services Commission, Athabasca County Farm Women's Conference Planning Committee, Community Futures Tawatinaw Region and sat on the Athabasca Regional Multiplex Society board and pool design committees, among others.
Splane said she is especially proud of the work she's done with the Boyle Campus of Continuous Care Committee.
“It's been a real neat trip, ” Splane said. “To see the growth and development and to encourage others, encourage the youth to get involved. And like I say, it's all based around loving people. ”
Dennis Willcott
Willcott was acclaimed for his third term as councillor, after serving seven years in the position.
“I kind of enjoy working as a county councillor, ” he said. “I get along good with the public. Main thing is to be honest and do what you can. And so far that's what I've done. ”
Willcott, who owns his own business, Willcott Construction Ltd., said he thinks council has done a good job over his two terms and watched their money well.
This year, road construction is at the front of his mind.
He stressed honesty and communication with the public, which he said he based his campaign on in previous years.
“People want honesty and they want common sense. When they phone you, you get back to them, ” he said. “You can promise the world but it's not just your say. ”
Willcott said his advice for new councillors is, “Don't promise too much, be honest and get back to the people. ”
“That's the biggest one, ” he said. “That's what I ran on the first time. Because really, if you haven't been in there before, you don't have the experience. You might say you'll do this and do that but, like I say, it takes five votes to change. ”
