Garry Procter says fire service to Desert Blume top issue as he campaigns in Cypress Ward 7
Garry Procter is running for election in Ward 7 (Seven Persons North/Desert Blume) in Cypress County. A wellknown local building contractor, Procter is running against incumbent, and former reeve, Richard Oster.
Procter feels he can do a better job than Oster in advocating for the taxpayers of his ward. He counts the county’s decision to end its current fire services agreement with the City of Medicine Hat a personal failure on Oster’s part.
“Richard did not win that debate,” says Procter. “Obviously, they (councillors) bought the building and they are renovating it. I am asking the taxpayers of Cypress County to vote for me and give me a chance to win.”
Procter says he will take the issue back to council for review if elected.
“I decided to put my name forward as there has been some infighting amongst the city and the county in regards to firefighting, which has basically left Desert Blume and all the Holsom Road area without adequate fire protection, and it’s very serious,” says Procter. “It shouldn’t matter where that fire truck comes from. (Residents) deserve fire protection, and they have got none.”
When asked why Desert Blume and the Holsom Road area would warrant these enhanced and expensive protections when other county hamlets are only protected by on-call fire departments, Procter says it comes down to density of population and the high value of the homes in question.
“It’s a pretty dense population in Desert Blume,” says Proctor, “and there is a tremendous amount of value there. Why are we paying taxes? You should have some form of service.”
Outside the fire issue, Procter says he is a fiscal conservative and would bring that perspective to council if elected.
“I would like to see more fiscal management in the county, and smaller government,” confirms Procter. “I think we’ve got too much government. I want to see more efficiency in the way Cypress County goes about its operations.”
Procter says he is also firmly on the side of farmers and ranchers when it comes to disputes between subdivision development and the practice of agriculture.
“I will vote for the agricultural guy every time,” states Procter. “I say to someone in a residential subdivision, you knew you were moving to the country when you decided to pack the moving truck. Don’t come to me and tell me you don’t want the water from a farmer’s pivot where the wind is drifting it onto your house. The pivot was there first. You knew there was a pivot there. Live with it.”