One year ago this week, Cal Huntley pulled off an upset victory to become Flin Flon’s 20th mayor.
The Reminder caught up with the mayor to discuss his first year in office, and more.
REMINDER: How would you sum up your first year as mayor?
HUNTLEY: I think I can sum it up in two words: “very busy.”
REMINDER: What are you most proud of from your first year?
HUNTLEY: That is a very open-ended question. I am very proud of my community and the people in my community. Being mayor has allowed me to experience that on an even greater level than before. I am proud that the community has given me this opportunity.
REMINDER: What
disappointed you the most
in your first year?
HUNTLEY: I wouldn’t call it disappointment, but I would identify it as challenges that I hadn’t foreseen before the election. The [departure] of two key management positions in a very short period of time had us scrambling a bit.
I had been looking forward to working with both Rick [Bacon, director of works and operations] and Mike [Dubreuil, recreation manager] again, so I guess that could be categorized as a disappointment.
In the end things are working out well and we’ve added some quality people to the management team. Both [new works and operations director] Charles [Boulet] and [new recreation manager] Nicole [Hartman] have been welcomed additions.
REMINDER: How would you describe your mayoral style?
HUNTLEY: I would like to think of myself as a relationship-based mayor. I believe that the building of relationships moves whichever initiative you are working on in a more positive direction.
It helps clarify commitments and concerns while allowing good communications, which lead to understanding people and/or organizations positions and vice versa, of course.
This allows for opportunities or concerns to be discovered and discussed in a safe and open fashion.
REMINDER: We’ve covered this before, but I’d like to touch on it again. Before being elected, you expressed concern about the special service levy, designed to help “level the paying field” on property taxes by increasing taxes on low-end homes and lowering taxes on high-end homes. When the issue came to a vote, you supported the measure. Change of heart or lesser of two evils?
HUNTLEY: I believe and always have in the premise that each community should have the option of a base tax in their tool kit. Unlike our neighbours in Saskatchewan, the Manitoba government has never seen fit to allow us the same options. As a councillor I lobbied and as the mayor will continue to lobby the province to allow us this provision within our mandate. The option of a base tax takes the levy away.
REMINDER: Have there been any talks between the City of Flin Flon and area cottagers in terms of fire protection or any other partnerships since you became mayor? Why or why not?
HUNTLEY: [Cottage association president] Dave Kennedy and I have had a preliminary meeting and as mentioned earlier when you’ve asked, it is a work in progress.
REMINDER: What are your goals as mayor for the next three years?
HUNTLEY: My personal goals for the city over the next three years can generally be categorized in four specific areas:
Financially responsible: A grounded, realistic approach to projects as well as the day to day. Best bang for the buck, so to speak.
Socially responsible: Looking for the right partnerships and synergies to address seniors, environmental and recreational issues and risks.
Business aware: Engaged in the community and region in a very transparent fashion so we can identify, support and civically participate in new and existing business opportunities and/or concerns. We are “open for business.”
Politically present: Have more of a political presence in both the two provincial and federal arenas.
REMINDER: Are you interested in re-election?
HUNTLEY: Honestly, at this time I don’t know. What I will say is that any decisions that I make over the next three years will be based upon my thoughts and commitments for what is best for our community and not on how this will affect me in the next election.
My friends and family jokingly call me a politician, but I seriously don’t see myself that way. I love my community. It’s been good to me and my family, and this is my way of giving a little of that back.
