Ellis Seeking To Build On City’s Past to Drive Success In the Future
Council candidate Christien Ellis comes from a multi-generational Medicine Hat family with a history dating back more than 120 years.
It’s a history which weighs heavily on him as the advantages the city offered his family over more than a century appear to be waning.
And it’s the lack of transparency and accountability in addressing issues which has concerned Ellis.
“For myself, it’s been nearly impossible to talk to councillors,” he said, adding that while running a downtown small business, he attempted to relaunch a business revitalization organization for the city centre following the demise of the previous one. “The reason that stalled out and died was because of communication with council. . .I think this council has actually built a wall between itself and the community.”
That, in turn, has created division and chaos in the city, said Ellis.
“There are a lot of decisions being made without our consensus that are against what we’ve been asking for and without an explanation as to why,” he said. “It’s massive issue if we can’t be looking at the people on council as part of our community.”
Ellis’ priorities if elected would be to stimulate economic development, balance the city’s energy budget, encourage affordable housing and supporting youth in crisis in Medicine Hat.
On the latter of those priorities, Ellis would like the city to take the lead in developing shelter spaces for youth in coordination with a non-profit organization after Medicine Hat lost those services recently due to lack of funding.
He suggested the plot of land which formerly housed the Y’s employment services at the intersection of Maple Avenue and First Street would be a good place for a youth shelter.
“It’s really close to all the high schools, the core of town and could be a really good place for these kids to have a little sanctuary from all the chaos that is in their lives,” Ellis said.
If elected Ellis said he’d bring his openness to conversations with Hatters and even vigorous debate over the future direction of the city.
Having previous run his own small business, he added he would bring that perspective when it comes to city finances.
Ellis said a clean sweep of members of the current council members may cause some disruption in how the city is managed but there needs to be a change in how business is conducted at city hall.
“It doesn’t matter who’s on council, you have to figure out how to work together and you have to find a way to get the best strengths out of each other,” he said. “Maybe if this group could have communicated better with each other they could have gotten more done.”