It could be third time lucky for Darrell Dunn.
The Lloydminster resident is seeking a seat on council in the Nov. 13 municipal election.
He broke the news as a member of the Lloydminster Concerned Citizens for Seniors Care Society following the group’s Sept. 17 meeting.
He made the decision to go for it after an unsuccessful election bid in 2020 election and this year’s byelection on Feb. 13.
“I decided to give it a shot one more time,” said Dunn.
He has until Oct. 9 to file his nomination papers, but he’s already campaigning.
“I’ve had some good conversations with people on both sides of the spectrum, ” said Dunn.
He listed some priority issues such as homelessness and policing as a former cop.
“The homeless situation is a major issue right now in terms of awareness and focus by people,” said Dunn.
He says policing is also very important because the Lloydminster RCMP is short of staff in terms of boots on the ground.
Dunn thinks there may be ways for the RCMP, sheriffs, peace officers and bylaw officers to work together to use those resources to have more coverage.
“They’ve done similar things in other jurisdictions. It’s something we need to look at here,” he said.
He also questions how the city will pay for asset management and infrastructure in the future when the population only increased 0.5 per cent last year, with the tax base not keeping pace.
“In order for the tax base to improve, you’ve got to have business expansion. With 0.5 per cent population increase, that’s not enough,” said Dunn.
“That’s an area we’ve got to look at and what the city can do is questionable, but we have a good economic development group.”
Dunn has lived in Lloydminster with his wife for the past 15 years and has put beans on the table with his legal issue consultancy, D.W. Dunn Legal Solutions.
He’s prepared to give that up as he thinks it’s important to be a full time councillor.
“There is enough stuff going on now that I may put that consulting business to bed,” explained Dunn.
Dunn adds one the objectives he would have as a councillor is to engage with various groups more often. He says he has the time.
“That’s one of the challenge of council; if you’ve got a business to run or a job to do or have a family. I’m fortunate that I have the time and I’m at the stage where I don’t have those commitments,” he said.
“I can put the time in.”
Dunn’s community involvement spans the Snowflake House Respite Foundation, the Seniors Care Society and a run for the Alberta Party in the 2023 provincial election.
He says one of the things that strikes him about civic politics, is it’s less partisan that “political” politics.
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