Raible announces run for mayor
The race is officially on, as Hatter Scott Raible announced Sunday he will be running for mayor in the fall municipal election.
“Being a part of the community of Medicine Hat is a blessing,” said Raible, who came to the city almost 20 years ago from Surrey, B.C., with a “garbage bag and a box” in hand, looking for work. His first job was as a meat cutter at the Brooks’ plant, catching the bus there every day from the Hat.
He then became an associate pastor at Medicine Hat Victory Church, launched the city’s first faith-based radio station Alive 99.5 FM, upgraded his education and has taught for the past seven years.
“It felt like a disconnect between what city hall was doing and what the needs and financial realities of the people of Medicine Hat,” said the father of nine about his decision to run for mayor.
Until now, incumbent Ted Clugston has been the only declared candidate for the mayoral position.
The final straw for Raible was the “major, drastic changes” to transit, which has lead to “a lot of fear and frustration” due to the short time frame, and minimal public input.
But there’s also the Heald Pool closure, done without “real discussion” with Riverside residents, he said, followed months later with consultation meetings in the neighbourhood.
Or the increased Family Leisure Centre fees, he said, then the fair-entry fee plan enacted “months after the fact.”
“There shouldn’t be a two-tiered system,” he said. “You shouldn’t have to get a fair-entry application to use a taxpayer provided-for recreation facility. If we have people who need to get special permission to use transit, or to use facilities, then we’re not doing something right. It should be accessible to all.”
Raible wants to see a policy where the city has to sit down with stakeholders involved, the general public, and get input and feedback before major decisions are made.
He believes in balancing the budget, but “we should not be balancing the budget on the backs of those in need,” he said, citing the recent utility fee increases at the same time there’s growing demand for the Community Warmth program.
Or how facility user fees increases have been passed on to families — yet there’s more and more families now needing the support of programs like KidSport.
The city needs a bigger picture for transit, he said.
“If we actually have a vision for transit, we want all of our city to be using our transit when possible. We want to be proud of the opportunities that we have.”
Raible wants photo radar restricted to school and playground zones, with the proceeds going to the city — who should then ensure the police department is properly funded.
He wants to make it easy for local businesses to "flourish and prosper" in the community.
"I’ve heard too many stories of local businesses being sidelined by lots of red tape at city hall, and that should not be the case."
“I really want to be a voice for those who feel perhaps forgotten or frustrated with how things are happening at city hall,” he said, adding that he’s heard many “amazing ideas” from locals, and wants to also be a voice for them in the election.
“I know this is an uphill battle, but my thought is — at the very least — that the Mayor and I can have a public debates about these issues and call some attention and awareness to these issues. I think that’s the most important thing.”