Meadow Lake city council incumbent Tom Harrison is seeking a second term on council. (submitted photo/Tom Harrison)

By Teena Monteleone

Seeking a second term

Incumbent candidate Tom Harrison has ‘more to give’

Oct 19, 2020 | 11:44 AM

Tom Harrison spent the majority of his career serving the people of Saskatchewan and he wants to continue doing so in his retirement.

The Meadow Lake city council incumbent was a senior manager in the Ministry of Environment for more than three decades.

“In that role, I managed budgets in the $30 to 50 million range and managed 250 plus staff,” Harrison said. “So, fiscal management is a part of my background and I’ve been able to provide some guidance and input on that to council.”

Harrison pointed to the fact tax increases in Meadow Lake have been low the last four years, averaging 2 per cent each year. He also told meadowlakeNOW he feels a lot more effective as a councillor having already sat in the seat for one term.

“I’ve got more to give,” he said. “The city has certainly been involved in moving forward on the long term care. That’s 72 beds long needed in the community and we are happy as a council to move forward with that.”

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Other items Harrison wants to follow through with include the continued development and improvement of infrastructure both above and below ground.

“I think we spent almost $6 million on our paving program in the last four years and it’s been a priority in the community and one of my priorities when I got to council. Prior to that, we were probably averaging $300,000 a year, so it’s made a huge impact on the community.”

Harrison also wants to keep the community safe. He sits on the Citizens on Patrol board and has pushed to consider things like the Neighbourhood Watch program, Safe Communities and Eyes That Care program. His other various roles including sitting on minor hockey and golf boards, or being the facilities chair for the summer games, have allowed him to develop positive relationships with members of the rural municipalities and Flying Dust First Nation.

“Obviously improving and enhancing our recreation facilities [is a priority] because we have some great ones here. Like Lions Park, we’ve done a lot of upgrades there and I’d like to see that continue and also continued use of our ball diamonds, hockey rinks and tennis courts.”

With his experience and guidance for continued sound fiscal management, Harrison hopes to continue what he started with Meadow Lake city council by being re-elected for a second term.

“We have room for improvement yet,” he said.

Advanced polls for the upcoming municipal election will be held Oct. 29 to Nov. 3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at city hall and on Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Lions Den in the tourism information building at 902 Ninth St. W.

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teena.monteleone@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @meadowlakeNOW