Through the 2017 Municipal Election season The Eagle 100.9 and Okotoks Online will be bringing you profiles of candidates to help you make an informed decision.

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

"I'm a mom of two beautiful daughters, I've lived in town for the last 12 years and outside of town before that. I've been involved in the community since 2001, this town is so near and dear to my heart. I see the struggles everyday of downtown businesses. I've been a sparks leader, brownie leader, guide leader and 4-H leader. I've been an advocate for the arts, I support the Dewdney Players and if anyone in the arts asks can you help us? I'm the first one to stand up and say absolutely what can I do for you? I give 100%, I think that's what we need, we need leadership. I didn't come in to run for council because I knew better than anybody else, I came in because I really feel that we need to give our current mayor the best team possible to move forward. What he's done is incredible for our town, and I just don't find with our growth that he has that team that's supporting him."

What is the main part of your platform?:

"When you are uncertain about droughts and what's going to happen everyone has to work together to make sure that everybody has the same usage and opportunities. Drug advocacy, I'm living it right now, we don't have the help out there for these people. People say well they asked for it, absolutely not, there's a monster that's got a hold of them. Your young kids are so susceptible to this, people are giving away drugs for free so they can get your child hooked. When that monsters got a hold of them you have to fight tooth and nail, and I'm fighting a monster right now. We went through many years ago the whole downtown being shut down, I can probably count on two hands how many surviving businesses are still down here, and there's very few. Right now we currently have a Downtown Business Association which is separate from the Chamber of Commerce and from the Okotoks Business Association. We work together as a team, we're trying to put initiatives forward to bring people downtown and make them want to shop local, you've got to give them a reason. 80% of my client base comes out of the surrounding communities and I'm ok with that, because I'm drawing in tourist dollars, that's what we're trying to do is give people a unique shopping experience. It scares me now with that new master plan that none of us have seen, none of us have been informed about, what are you going to do to us now? Tell us what you're going to do, you can be honest with us and you can tell us."

Why do you think you'd make a good councillor?:

"I'm very personable, I do wear my heart on my sleeve, I'm a business person, and a very successful business person. I give 100% and as I said, all the groups that I have been a part of, the schools and theatre groups I've been involved in I've been a leader. I'm a problem solver, I make a plan and I follow through, I don't say I don't know, If I don't I find somebody who does. It's so important that we talk to one another and communicate, I can't solve the worlds problems, but if you have a problem talk to me, and we will come up with a plan and we will solve it."

Every Okotoks candidate running for the 2017 municipal election will get to opportunity to explain who they are, their platform and why they are running. The candidate profiles are posted at random. If you are a candidate and have not been contacted, please email news@okotoksonline.com

Questions, comments, or story ideas? Email us at news@okotoksonline.com