BARRHEAD- Roads are one of the most pressing issues for County of Barrhead residents.
That is what Paul Properzi has heard throughout his travels. It will also be one of his main focuses if he gets elected to council in Division 5.
Division 5 goes from Range Road 40, commonly referred to as auto wreckers road, to the Westlock County border. Its northern border is the Shoal Lake area with Sunnybend Road being the border.
Currently, the seat is held by Darrell Troock, who is retiring after 16 years. Running against Properzi for the seat are Darren Strawson and Folkert Miedema.
The youngest of 12 children, Properzi was born and raised in Barrhead. He is married and with his wife Dawn, has five children.
After graduating from then-Lorne Jenken High School, Properzi stayed on the farm.
"[The farm] has been in our family for 111 years," he said, adding it is a mixed operation, with grain, sheep, cattle, hogs and occasionally chickens.
"My dad [Abraham] always taught me that being diverse is good," Properzi said. " You can't put all of your eggs in one basket."
In addition to running the farm, Properzi is also a school bus driver for Pembina Hills School Division, something he has done for 20 years.
He is involved in the Freedom/Naples 4-H Club, first as a member and then a leader when his children became members.
In the early 2000s, Properzi helped form the Northern Lights Snowmobile Club and he has also helped fundraise for the Barrhead Food Bank and Santa's Toy Box.
Properzi said he has always been interested in municipal politics, but he started considering the possibility of joining council's ranks after talking to several former councillors, including Roy Ulmer.
Ulmer was a long-time municipal councillor with both Barrhead municipalities, staring out in the county as representative for Division 5.
Properzi first met Ulmer while he was a youth in 4-H. Ulmer was one of the leaders.
"I talked to Mr. Ulmer and some of my other neighbours and they all said that I should run," he said.
And although he said there isn't a particular burning issue that helped push him into the political ring, he said that it is clear the top issue for residents in all the divisions are roads.
"They are a big concern," he said. "The trucks and farm equipment are just getting bigger and heavier, which takes more of a toll on our roads."
Properzi also noted that as a bus driver, he has had the opportunity to experience how roads from all corners of the county are first hand.
"There are a lot of concerns. The way the ditches are, the way trees are growing in and impacting visibility, making it hard for machinery to get through," he said. "Even the differences in how roads are made and maintained.”
He also realizes that the municipality has been and will continue to face financial challenges.
In recent years, the county has had to deal with sizeable revenue decreases because some energy companies have defaulted in paying their property taxes, though that trend that slowly seems to be turning around.
However, rural municipalities have also seen an increase in their policing costs, and starting in 2022, the province will be scaling back what it gives municipalities as part of its Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) grant funding. Municipalities use the grants, in large part, to help pay for large infrastructure projects such as building or repaving roads.
As for what he would like to focus on or bring forward (in addition to roads), Properzi said there are many potential committees he would be interested in sitting on, particularly those dealing with seniors issues.
"Everyone is going to get old someday, so seniors issues impact everyone sooner or later," he said.
Properzi also hopes to help residents bring their concerns to council.
"It would be a great honour to represent [Division 5] and help all the voices to be heard because I truly want to make a difference," he said. Properzi also encourages residents to contact him about any questions or concerns that they might have by calling him at 780-674-8848.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
