She wants to make Humboldt a great place to work and play. Sandy Weyland of Humboldt has thrown her hat in the ring for the Humboldt City Council election on October 24. Weyland, who has worked as a licensed practical nurse at the Humboldt District Hospital for 33 years, moved from a farm outside of the city, where her husband was a farmer and school bus driver, into Humboldt in 2010. "I have always worked in Humboldt, so I have spent lots of time (here)," said Weyland. Not only has she worked in the City, her family conducts their business in the city and her children were involved with local sports and organizations in Humboldt as well. Weyland decided to run for city council because she wants to help make a difference in the community. "I have been quite interested in politics," said Weyland. "I really believe the most important politics are found at the local level. From turning your tap on in the morning to taking your children to the Uniplex for hockey, figure skating or whatever it may be, local services touch every part of our everyday lives." She believes in order to have a great community, it must be great for all citizens and that is part of the reason she decided to run for council. "I have been out knocking on doors and listening to the residents," said Weyland. She has been asking residents what they believe are the issues and top priorities in Humboldt. One of the top issues, Weyland has found, is infrastructure. "This is one of my top priorities and reasons why I decided to run is the condition of our streets," said Weyland. "Although now there has been a large influx to fix the streets, my intent is to make sure the streets are a priority." Other infrastructure also needs attention. "I think we need to make sure the infrastructure can sustain our increasing growth," said Weyland. Weyland said she read that sustaining investment in infrastructure brings results, enhanced economic productivity and higher competitiveness. The economic growth then generates revenue for local government to fund programs like healthcare, safety and education. It was also brought to Weyland's attention that the sidewalks are in need of repair. "My plan is to make this a priority when I am elected," said Weyland. "We need to ensure that our sidewalks are safe for our seniors as well as people with mobility and disability issues." The third issue she mentioned was a lack of activities for youth."One of the issues I have been told is there is not enough activities for youth to do, especially in the summer," said Weyland. "We are a growing city, so I would like to see if maybe we can enhance some programs for youth." Although those are the main issues, Weyland understands there are many more out there and will strive to do her best for the people of Humboldt if elected. "I really enjoy living in Humboldt," said Weyland. "I think it is a great city, a vibrant city and I would consider it an honour and a privilege to be part of city council."
