A new candidate to the election race for Weyburn’s city council, Trevor Butts, works in the oilpatch for a contractor that often works withWhitecap Resources, and loves the community he has called home for the last nine years.
“I was sent here for work 10 years ago, and I moved here nine years ago after a change to a local company,” said Butts.
He had been involved in politics in his former home of Medicine Hat, and knows some of the people involved on council here.
“I like the way the city is going, the direction they’re taking, but as someone who puts on overalls for work, I want to help with the city’s ability to run,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of good stuff going on in the energy sector, so how do we retain it?”
There is a wide array of responsibilities that city council is in charge of, he noted, and when council is working together you can create a good quality of life for all residents, he said.
He is impressed that Weyburn has good recreational facility and a busy arts community. “All of these things make for a place where you want to be and be happy in,” he said, pointing out that it would make no sense to just focus on just one issue when there is so much that the council is responsible for.
“You have to be available to listen to people who all have different problems. I wouldn’t want to be a guy who’s only interested in filling potholes,” said Butts. “You have to be willing to listen to all different people with different interests. That’s something I think Marcel has done a good job with.”
Admitting he doesn’t have the historical knowledge of the city in some areas, he can bring a new and fresh perspective to how things are done now.
“The world’s changing, so what was the issue 10 or 15 years ago isn’t the way it is now,” said Butts.
He added that he is looking forward to being available to talk to people and to get feedback about what council is doing. Even if he isn’t elected to this slate of councillors, he said he plans on being involved where he can in the community as much as possible.
He noted before coming to Weyburn, his community involvement included the United Way in Medicine Hat, and being a member of the Rotary Club, as just two examples.
