Cypress Coun. LeRay Pahl gets blessing to run in one more county election
Cypress County Coun. LeRay Pahl is running for reelection this fall in Ward 9 (Redcliff/Hwy. 523 North).
Pahl has spent 30 years on council and is the owner of Pahl Livestock Ltd. Pahl has a reputation as a straight shooter, and is one of the more fiscally conservative members on council. He says he originally thought he would not run again in 2017.
“My wife almost had me convinced to hang it up, but people started talking to her and people started talking to me,” says Pahl. “And she said, ‘Well, if you want to run one more time, go ahead.’ So she gave me her blessing.”
Pahl says this next term will definitely be his last, and he wants to see a new regional waterline established to the hamlet of Suffield before he goes.
“I would really like to get this water to Suffield and get this co-op up and running. That was my promise the last time, and we worked extremely hard at, but we haven’t got it done yet ... I want to push that water as hard as we can the next four years.”
Pahl would also like to see more movement on establishing rural Internet, and feels the county needs to slow down its spending.
“Taxes are becoming a real problem. We just slid along for many years, and money was coming in ... I think now we have to start getting more of a handle on expenses. There has to be a way where we don’t have to spend quite as much money as we are.”
Pahl feels his experience is an asset on council.
“I think it’s because I have knowledge of what we were looking to accomplish (on past councils). I have never been (just) a ward councillor. I don’t care where you live at, if you have a problem give me a call, and I will look after it. Some councillors, they will take an issue and hammer that issue to no end. That’s good to a point, but you have to look at: Is this what is best for the county? If the answer is ‘no,’ you shouldn’t go forward with it.”
Pahl says his experience is important on council, but he is not someone who lives in the past. For example, he is an advocate for the establishment of legal medical marijuana businesses in the county.
“Council has to keep evolving to keep up with new trends and developments,” explains Pahl. “I am in favour of all reasonable development in the county.”