Knutson Seeking to Bring Honesty, Integrity to Council
Donald Knutson says ensuring council’s full involvement in the city manager hiring process, building more affordable housing as well as keeping taxes and utilities low are he’s priorities if elected this fall.
Knutson does bring some municipal experience with him having served a term as councillor at the Village of Golden Prairie as well as being appointed to Medicine Hat’s Municipal Planning Commission earlier this year. But while people may not know him well, they likely know his therapy dog Noah which he takes to seniors’ homes and the rehabilitation centre weekly.
He said the issue of promoting the building of affordable housing could lead to more growth in the city.
“I envision if you have enough of it, enough affordable housing, you can advertise to BC, Ontario. Sell your house there, move here. And you’ve got money in the bank to live off of,” he said.
Knutson said he’s been observing council and concludes, “we can’t continue to raise taxes. Again, with affordability, a lot of us are on fixed incomes. I represent a demographic that is on a fixed income. . .We cannot keep on upping it – you’re paying more and more for less and less.”
On the issue of transparency at the council table, Knutson said the provincial Municipal Government Act can limit what can be discussed. But there is room for improvement when it comes to big issues impacting the community.
Not engaging the public, “hurts people because they want to have a say,” he said. “Division Avenue, all these things they’ve had to raise heck to get noticed even. Saamis Solar project, that’s something that is coming and I think all of it needs to be on the table with a lot of the numbers.”
If a case can be made for Saamis Solar to me profitable or funding the Medicine Hat Exhibition’s & Stampede’s grandstand renovation can stimulate the local economy, it’s a case that needs to be made.
“If it makes money, it makes money,” said Knutson.
He added he’d like to see more public feedback and hearings on issues of public importance.
Knutson says as a former manager of a food processing plant, he would bring that experience of working with people from a variety of backgrounds to council.
City staff are the frontline of municipal governance and should be able to approach council if issues arise, he said, adding council should be able to address concerns.
“I kind of shoot from the hip and that’s what I think should be there. You have to be nice; there’s no problem with that. But you also have to be honest. And I’ve always been honest and I’ve always had integrity. And that’s what all the people I’ve ever supervised or worked with know,” said Knutson.
The candidate nomination period for the 2025 municipal election ends on Sept. 22.
The election will be held on Oct. 20.
Candidates who would like to have an election profile broadcast and published by the Medicine Hat Owl can contact alexmccuaig@comtv.ca to schedule an interview.