The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
In 1998, Flin Flonners overwhelmingly placed a likable retired educator named Dennis Ballard in the mayor's seat. After more than three decades of working in the local school system, mostly as a principal or counsellor, Ballard had clearly gained much of the public's trust in his abilities. Those who checked Ballard's name on their ballots had no doubts about their candidate's savvy to lead the community in the right direction. What nobody knew was just how much would change during his tenure. From the Flintoba Shopping Centre to the proposed multi-purpose community facility to the medicinal marijuana project, Flin Flon is a much different community today than when Ballard's nameplate was first placed in the centre of the Flin Flon City Council table. The Reminder sat down with His Worship yesterday for a revealing one-on-one interview. * * * Reminder: Do you see any tough choices on the horizon as a result of the shrinking tax base? Mayor Ballard: It's been nothing but tough choices for years. And will there be some more? Sure. If you're asking if we are on the verge of having to curtail some services or whatever, basically no, but I can say that we are working hard on this Communityplex (formerly known as the Multiplex, which would combine recreational activities under one roof) and let me say that if that doesn't go, then you bet 'cha there are going to be some tough choices. In that particular situation, it isn't what it's going to cost us if we do it, it's what it's going to cost us if we don't. We would not be able to maintain the recreational services we have the way it's going. The only hope I can see is something like the Communityplex. Reminder: What are your thoughts on the Creighton School Board's decision to incorporate a high school into Creighton Community School? Mayor Ballard: The first thing that people have to realize is that the Creighton School Board has made a decision they're perfectly within their rights to make. I think that the Creighton School Division is trying to do what they think is best for their school. What I think is unfortunate is the way that it all played out. I think we're all left with the feeling that there are a lot of people who don't want to see it happen, that there was not much to lose by putting it off and looking at it more carefully. But whether they go with their own high school or not, that's their business. How does it affect Flin Flon? Well, if I was on the Creighton School Board, I wouldn't be sitting there worrying about how it affects Flin Flon. That's not my mandate. Their mandate is how it affects Creighton. Reminder: You must be concerned about the impact this could have on the Flin Flon School Division. Mayor Ballard: Sure, I'm worried about the impact. I spent 33 years in the school system and when you pull 100 kids out of your system, you're looking at a lot of changes. Will Flin Flon survive those changes? Absolutely. I think they'll have to make some tough decisions and they'll have to do a lot of hard work, but Flin Flon will come out of it. We'll still have, I'm sure, a viable, solid school system. Reminder: As the Flintoba Shopping Centre continues to expand, concerns persist about the impact the 'big box' stores are having and will continue to have on other businesses. What is your response to that? Mayor Ballard: The question is, are there people who are going to hurt, or are hurting, because of the mall opening up? Absolutely. But it's really a very philosophical thing because when you're talking about city council or the mayor, I think people might say, 'Why did you let that happen?' For me, that's never been an issue. You don't keep businesses out. See 'This' P.# Con't from P.# These people wanted to come here and do business. If you start keeping people out, now you've got that old boys' club Ñ if I like you, you can come in, but if I don't like you, you can't. Or (the argument that) 'We already have one of those businesses.' What that does is effectively stymy any and all competition. Well, the real business world out there is about competition. I do not accept that if a business is hurting (because of the mall), it's my fault or council's fault or anybody's fault. But does it bother me? You bet 'cha. Do I worry about Main Street? You bet 'cha. Reminder: From your point of view, what's the tone among businesspeople outside of the mall development? Mayor Ballard: I have done lots of talking to the business people. Right now, it appears to me that there is a real mix in that there are people who are doing as well or better, there are people who are hurting simply because, I think, of the mall opening, and there are people who had been hurting for a long time before the mall opened. So that's the kind of a mix you've got going on right now. Reminder: You've said before that you have no doubt the Flintoba Shopping Centre was needed and wanted in the community. Mayor Ballard: When I hear the question of, 'What should have been done?', I don't hesitate to go there. This is what should have been done. There has never been any doubt in my mind that this is what 95 per cent of the people in town wanted and are enjoying. The bottom line is those businesses were going to come to the North. If it wasn't here, it likely would have been The Pas. See 'People' P.# Con't from P.# If they went into The Pas, then everybody could surely shut their doors because then guys could have gotten off work, run down to The Pas and do their shopping, and be home at night. And we all know what was happening. People were going out of town to shop. There isn't any doubt in my mind that the mall, the stores there, have brought in huge amounts of business from out of town. Reminder: There's some debate over the indoor public smoking ban expected to be implemented across Manitoba by October. What are your thoughts on the matter? Mayor Ballard: As long as a smoking ban is saying that the non-smokers should not be subjected to the smoke of the smokers, I can't see why that's a problem. That just makes common sense. The only time I think you see bad backlash on a general basis is when the non-smoking group starts to pressure the smoking group to do what's best for them, the smoking group. That's something I feel strongly about. It's no man's business to make up laws and rules to do what's best for me. Reminder: Will the smoking ban hurt local businesses? Mayor Ballard: I think it's like the mall. Yeah, there are some businesses that are going to get hurt by that. Reminder: You and your council have made countless decisions for the community over the years. Do any of them stand out as being really unpopular? Mayor Ballard: All of your decisions are unpopular with somebody. And I've said this right from the start: I'm elected by the community to give the people the kind of community they want. I've always said that the trick is: a) Are people going to be able to pay for what they want? and b) Now try to figure out what people want, because everybody wants something different. It wouldn't matter what it was. If we were standing on a streetcar handing out gold coins, there would be somebody complaining about it. Every decision you make is unpopular with someone, so you hope you've got a read about which decisions are popular with more people. Reminder: Do you feel there are some misconceptions about your role? Mayor Ballard: I always have thought that. People for one think that the mayor runs the city and just any old thing he wants to do he can do and all that. First of all, the mayor's got one vote, just like the six councillors. That's it. The only real influence a mayor might have is if he can convince the others. Everything that involves big decisions comes down to a vote and you win some and you lose some. Another thing I would say is that some people think that simply because you're an elected official, they feel they can talk to you whatever way they want. I also think there's a misconception that you make piles of money and you don't do much, when in fact the opposite is true. You put in long hours for very little money. It's more a community service. But is there ego involved? Of course there is. Reminder: Do people in your position need to be pushy or polite to get things done with other levels of government? Mayor Ballard: You've got to walk the line. There's a time for each. The trick is to know when that time is. But if you figure that just banging and screaming gets things done, it doesn't. There's a time to be reasonable. Yelling and screaming will only hurt you. Governments are people, too. If you're just constantly in their face yelling at them, they write you off. The secret is knowing when to say, 'That's enough.' I find the government to be pretty reasonable if you can make your case in a fair, just and reasonable way. Reminder: You were elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2002. Have you given any thought to seeking a third term? Mayor Ballard: I wouldn't have thought I'd do it once (smiles). I sure didn't think I'd do it twice. If I say I'm doing a third term, have me arrested. But you know, I'm really hesitant to say that because I was pretty definite that I wouldn't run for a second term.
