Fiscal Responsibilty

As a business owner it is difficult to be successful without fiscal responsibility. Having started Baynes Family Wellness from nothing my wife and I managed student loans, business loans and living expenses the moment we finished our Doctorate degrees. We completed the build out of our first office ourselves to minimize start up costs. We were the receptionist, the cleaner, the bookkeeper, HR, and IT specialist along with taking on part time jobs while our business got established. This time in our lives taught us many valuable lessons about fiscal responsibility and how crucial it was to our business and its survival.

Understanding how to proactively manage cash flow, revenue, expenses, and all the unexpected elements of a business, prepared me for my role as the President of the Boys and Girls Club, (BGC Leduc). At 27 years old I was responsible for a brand-new business and I volunteered to lead a not for profit that was on the brink of having to close its doors. There was a need, and I chose to fill it. The experiences I drew from to help the club, were rooted in hard work AND fiscal responsibility.

I quickly gained skills in governance, budgeting and policy creation. These skills were necessary to keep both my business and BGC operational. I attended business meetings, weekend seminars, and national conferences to gain the understanding required to be successful. I absorbed everything I could pertaining to leadership and financial prudence. As both our business and BGC Leduc grew, I quickly realized that being cheap and fiscally responsible aren’t necessarily the same thing. Growth takes wise and intentional investment. Wisdom and intentionality are what I would bring to Leduc City Council.

Some of the financial choices made by the City in the past four years, have been difficult to understand or agree with. I have felt like there has been no real clear direction or wise intentionality.

I’ve seen the city produce plans to build a west campus leisure center, only to have it cancelled. I’ve seen plans made, promises made, and land purchased for an emergency shelter made with sea-cans in the heart of the of the city, only to have it abruptly cancelled. Most recently, the Urban Redevelopment Plan to replace the 2012 Downtown revitalization plan, which saw minimal components completed and minimal consultation with impacted parties or the public. I don’t want to argue the validity of these projects. My concern is that none of these projects have been completed and that means your tax dollars have been wasted. In my opinion, the city has not been fiscally responsible.

While I realize that not every idea produces fruit or an instant return on investment, there must be an understanding that there is an expensive cost to producing fruitless plans. As a City of Leduc Councillor, I would look for opportunities to reduce fruitless plans and redundant spending. I look forward to bringing my expertise in fiscal responsibility from my personal, business, and not for profit experience to the City of Leduc so that you can benefit.