Six questions with Russell Moncrieff, candidate for Lloydminster City Council

MyLloydminsterNow has reached out to the 14 candidates running for the six positions on Lloydminster City Council in the November 13 city-wide elections. Here are the views of Russell Moncrieff. 

Question 1: Tell me who you are. 

Moncrieff: I am a long-term, 40-year-old, locally raised, small-town Marshall, Saskatchewan-first; two decades anyway. I am a retired master electrician and local handyman with a background in all things mechanical and a photographic skill set. My long-term hobby has been amateur radio operator, VE5RUS. I love to converse. Listening, however, is more important than talking. Solid spiritual beliefs included. 

Question 2: Why do you want to be a city councillor? 

Moncrieff: I firmly believe there is room for improvement in both policies and procedures of local governance. Especially in openness and communicative interactions with council. It appears that local citizens wanted a change and if they do just that I could fit in with a new group of multi-skilled councillors. I have been around here long enough to know a change is coming as the city seems to be struggling with its growth and foresight. 

Question 3: Colleen Young, candidate for the Saskatchewan Party has said, “Our hospital was built for 15,000 people back in 1986 and has not seen significant expansion. Previous ministers of health have recognized the need to expand the hospital in order to serve patients better. That is another aspect that I would like to see done.” 

What are your thoughts on a new or expanded hospital in Lloydminster? 

Moncrieff: When I attended a local luncheon recently with the Lloydminster Concerned Citizens for Seniors Care Society, I had a direct chance to interact with her and Alberta politicians. It has been even longer since the Sask government has dealt with long-term care beds. It is mind-numbing to think there has been no increase in those facilities since before I was born in 1959. Sixty-five years and still only thinking about the replacement of the Jubilee care facility. I hope that the local regular hospital does not fall into that style of governance. Husky Energy poured a huge investment into the local hospital with the addition of the CT scanner donations funding. It added diagnostic capabilities, but specialty treatments still require external services. This is mostly a provincial issue, but local council can have an effect on that with correct contacts and continued political pressure to have it addressed at that level. 

Question 4: What is your plan to deal with homelessness and the unhoused? 

Moncrieff: In listening to a fairly significant portion of the population, it is apparent that the local placement is not serving the needs of the residents of both the facility and definitely the concerns of the population at large. A long time ago a similar facility (Slim Thorpe Centre), was dealing with addictions, and was moved from behind a drinking establishment to an area close enough to the city to be serviceable in a much more controlled environment. There are other local organizations that also dealt with housing issues. Habitat for Humanity, as an example. With the availability of newer philosophy such as Tiny Homes, there is the ability to respond to the crisis. I have seen people build elaborate ice fishing shacks in a mere weekend of activity. When the local industry giant deals with housing the work force during a Turnaround, they created a space for 3,000 workers that was both safe and secure. They also had space for washrooms eating and meeting areas. That took huge effort and pre planning but a similar scenario could be played out. It is also easily expandable. There are a couple of local area RV trailer type facilities already set up to accommodate a temp trailer situation. Combine that with the plans for a mass transit system that has been studied for many years and the getting to and from can be dealt with simultaneously. As far as the immediate needs of food and clothing for some – there are facilities in place. I witnessed that over at the Pioneer Lodge recently as they have an outlet store that has subsidized items on site. Does not Food Rescue and other’s already do this? Why is it attached to an in-town service location? DoorDash, Meals on Wheels etc.  Could they not deliver to a local yet external facility? Systems like these can intermesh and be applied as a solution. 

Question 5: What are your thoughts on dealing with crime and insecurity? 

Moncrieff: The local police force is responding with ramping up a lot of plans. I was there at GPC meeting when the staff sergeant presented a report to current council. This has not been an overnight solution and once again comes back to provincial matters as to how it gets funded. Local council can only do so much. There are local eyes and ears like (Citizens on Patrol) and (Neighbourhood Watch) if the mandate was given to shift focus to helping each other and communicating in matters like this there could be an overnight change but larger crisis like situations did not appear overnight. 

Question 6: Final thoughts. 

Moncrieff: There needs to be a shift in priorities and more public participation. Council has the ability to hear far more input once the speaking to council procedures become more accessible. Town hall type events need to be far more frequent before they become crisis material. It is obvious to me that that has not been the focus to date. The people will decide what they want done and who they will trust to do that for them. Come November 14th the city might be looked at with a new set of eyes and a fresh perspective towards solutions. Council is just the voice of the people. It would seem they have decided that the current mayor can be the head of the council which does add some consistency. Who the people elect as council will determine what the outlook will be. I am just willing to dedicate my time to be a vocal part of that process if chosen to assist.