Here is the third and final part of The Reminder’s one-on-one interview with Flin Flon Mayor Cal Huntley.
REMINDER: Is there any fat to trim in Flin Flon’s budget? Where and how much?
HUNTLEY: I believe we’re going to hold the line on the budget for 2015. I believe there’s enough dollars in there – and I’m hoping I’m not proven wrong on that one – to complete the works and operations projects that we need to do.
I think it’s not a money thing right now from the aspect of trimming the fat. It’s the idea that given the dollars that we do have that we use them most effectively.
I said before on numerous occasions, we have to get the best bang for our buck, and sometimes you have to spend money…to up the quality and live with the short-term pain so that the long-term looks a little rosier and doesn’t cost you so much.
So I don’t think there’s a lot of fat to trim. We just have to make sure that we’re effectively using the dollars that we do have.
REMINDER: Does Flin Flon get its fair share from the upper levels of government? If not, how can this be remedied?
HUNTLEY: Well, it’s an interesting conversation and…probably every community in Manitoba would say they don’t get their fair share.
Legitimately, I do not think we get our fair share. Our partnering communities, [the other] significant communities in the North, The Pas and Thompson, always seem to generate more interest and more dollars.
Flin Flon has…been here a long time. We’re very independent. For a very long period of time, HBM&S took the place of the provincial government with regards to providing facilities and partnering on different things, that kind of thing.
And they’re a normal business now and that’s not part of what they do, although they do participate significantly in the grant in lieu [paid to the city annually].
But I believe Flin Flon has been left in the background. And one of the things that I think we need to do is, whoever is representing us in the provincial government, has to have a [cabinet] minister’s position.
I think the last time we had that was Jerry Storie, [and] things happened in Flin Flon [then].
So whoever we put in office, for whatever party we put in office, we really need to have someone that can represent us and get a minister’s posting in that government, because I think that’s how we move forward.
I mean, [the late] Oscar [Lathlin] was in The Pas and Steve [Ashton] is in the Thompson area. They have significant First Nations representation around there as well, and that doesn’t hurt.
But we need someone to represent this region that can generate the same kind of interest. It’s a beautiful area, it’s a prolific area for business, lots of dollars leave here, lots of dollars are generated here, and we need to get our fair share back from those dollars.
REMINDER: There are fears that the SJHL’s Weyburn Red Wings may have to fold due to heavy debt. There have also been ongoing concerns about the future of the Flin Flon Bombers, though nothing as serious as in Weyburn at the moment. How do you feel about that situation? Are you concerned about the future of the Bombers given their importance to the community?
HUNTLEY: I think the Bombers are very important to the community. I sit on the Bomber board [of directors]. I think they bring a whole different aspect to the character of our community, the history of our community and probably the future of our community.
In saying that, they’re a sports franchise and there’s bills to pay. And it’s like everything else: the citizens in the community will at the end of the day dictate how long the Bombers are here.
I don’t see their future as short-term with us. Every year is a struggle. The volunteers that get involved on the board put their heart and soul into everything, and we always manage to keep things going.
And I know [Feb. 6] was a momentous occasion. [That day, Hudbay covered admission for all fans who attended the Bomber game.] Unfortunately I couldn’t be there, but…they packed the place with over 1,500 people. They saw a wonderful quality of hockey…[and] I’m assuming that given the quality of the game, there were a few beers sold and some money made.
I think people have to realize that if you don’t use the service that’s in the community, at some point in time it will disappear. So we need to enjoy what we have here right now and make sure that people know we’re enjoying it and want it to stay.
So the Flin Flon Bombers are a part of that. They’re a part of our history, they’re tied very strongly to our identity and it would be a real shame to lose that. I don’t see that happening in the short term.
REMINDER: What’s the best and worst thing about being mayor?
HUNTLEY: The best thing about being mayor is the interaction that you get with all the people in the community – the feedback that they’re not scared to give you, both good and bad – and working with six other very, very competent people on council.
The worst part is exactly what I just said the best part was. So if I was king for a day, I might do things a little bit differently than working with six very qualified people that have their own opinions and their own direction in where they want to go.
It’s key for people to understand that the mayor is a leadership role. Hopefully the mayor can set strategy, can engage different levels of government in participating in the community.
But he is only one vote, and so a lot of what the mayor does is try to communicate the issues as best they can to the individual councillors that you’re working with and collectively come to the best solution that you possibly can.
Now, my personality is around relationship building, but I have to say that at some points in time being mayor can be a little bit frustrating because you think you see the answer and you’re not going in that direction.
But, generally speaking, the direction that you do go in collectively turns out to be the right direction to go.
But there is a sense of frustration there. You might take a different tact if you were individually king for a day.
REMINDER: Right, because you have to build consensus and sometimes it’s not –
HUNTLEY: Absolutely. You’re one vote.
