FLETCHERS LAKE: Art Wamback served his country for 37 years as an officers with the Canadian Navy. Now in retirement he wants to do the same for his community of Waverley-Fall River-Musquodoboit Valley.
Wamback, who calls Fletchers Lake home, is the first declared candidate for the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) riding known as District 1 in the leadup to the Oct. 17 municipal elections. The current councillor is Steve Streatch who has yet to officially say what he plans to do.
“I’ve been home since the first of March and been thinking to myself that I still have a lot to give,” said Wamback in a sit-down chat announcing his candidacy with The Laker News. “I have a number of good skills, such as leadership, organization, fiscal management. I think I have something to offer and I’d like to contribute to the community.”
He said with knowing the election is this fall and wanting to get involved, so what better way then as a candidate.
“I live in this area, and have been talking to people,” he said. “I felt it was the right thing to do.”
Wamback has some issues he wants to work on should he be chosen as councillor, although he admits that he is still learning about all the issues and concerns in the vast riding.
“The big thing that is important to me we have to get it right with our youth; we can’t forget our seniors; and using my experiences and what I’ve seen,” he said. “Those things are pretty important to me.
“There’s a saying in the Navy “train your relief.” That’s what we’re doing with our youth.”
He said taxes; the ditch tax; developments; and traffic are topics he has heard and ones he holds dear as issues to him as well.
“Transit is a big one that I am hearing. There should be a shuttle from here or a bus stop as long Hwy 2 here near the Sobeys,” he said. “You have to go five kilometres down the road up to Perrin to get it there.”
Wamback said he has some priorities but needs feedback from people so he can ensure he’s not forcing his priorities onto the community.
“The job is to be a representative of the community, and that’s what I want to do,” said Wamback. “By laying out the priorities ahead of time people can see where I am at with things. All my ideas are based on families and community.
“If you build a strong community and a resilient community you can face anything.”
He said he will support local businesses and be a champion of efforts that encourage and enable local entrepreneurs.
“A successful local economy must focus on the skills of the District’s workforce, reducing the cost of doing business and making available the resources business needs to compete and thrive,” said Wamback.
Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 9)Wamback also discussed where he saw his support for emergency services, such as police, fire, and other first responders.
“We have to decide what the minimum standards are for police, fire, and emergency services in our District and city,” he said. “Once we determine that we can evaluate what the funding should be.
He said he would fight for rational and balanced discussions on emergency services before any financial decisions would be made that would impact HRM’s valuable first responders.
In concluding his interview, Wamback said he will be a strong leader for the communities in the riding of Waverley-Fall River-Musquodoboit Valley.
“District 1’s strength is in its community. A strong community takes courage, vision, and action by those who live and work in the,” he said. “To keep the Waverley – Fall River – Musquodoboit Valley community healthy, I will work with local community groups, support local projects, and advocate for community resources and investment as a priority.”
To find out more on Wamback, he’s open to people asking questions on his various Social Media including Twitter @arthur_wamback; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CandidateforHRMDistrict1/; and his website www.wamback.ca.
Voters are scheduled to head to the polls in HRM, and Nova Scotia, on Oct. 17.
