Trevor Drinkwater enters Glenboro South Cypress mayor race

Trevor Drinkwater, is once again putting his name forward in the race for mayor of the Municipality of Glenboro – South Cypress.

Drinkwater previously served as mayor but was unsuccessful in his bid for another term in the last municipal election. Now, he says he is ready to return to council and continue working on issues he believes are important to the community.

One of the biggest factors drawing Drinkwater back into municipal politics is the long running lagoon project.

During his previous term, the project was brought to what Drinkwater described as a “shovel ready” stage, with the design and tendering process substantially completed.

“At that point, we had it all planned and shovel ready,” Drinkwater said.

The project had been developed with Samson Engineering and was expected to move forward at a cost of $6 million. Driinkwater said he is concerned that the project has since changed and that the current cost is now expected to be approximately $1 million higher.

“That doesn’t sit well with me,” he said.

Drinkwater believes residents deserve to understand exactly where the project stands, what has changed, and most importantly , what the additional costs will mean to the tax-payers.
The lagoon is particularly important to Drinkwater because the municipality has been dealing with its wastewater licensing requirements for many years. He believes completing the project is necessary. But says the RM must also be careful about how it spends the residents’ money.

“I can be really cheap at times,” he joked. “I kind of look at this and ask, is there a cheaper way to do it? Is there a more economical way to do it?”

During his previous term, the RM explored the possibility of working with Wawanesa on a shared water-treatment facility that could potentially have served both communities, as well as some rural properties along the route.

A feasibility study was undertaken, but Drinkwater said the project did not move forward.

Wawanesa has since made investments in its own water system, Drinkwater believes Glenboro-South Cypress needs to continue looking at its own long-term water needs.

He sees municipal infrastructure as an important piece of the economic development.

During his previous term, Drinkwater said the municipality had conversations with potential industries interested in this area. Two significant challenges identified were the lack of municipal water and natural gas.

“If you don’t have that infrastructure in place, you’re not going to attract the businesses you want to add to the tax base,” he explained.

For Drinkwater, building the local tax base is closely connected to keeping taxes manageable for residents.

He points to the potential growth of seniors’ and 55- plus housing as positive developments, but says residential growth alone cannot carry the municipality’s future costs.

“If we are just a residential town without businesses we are the ones that are going to be picking up the taxes which is why we need commercial businesses,” he said.

Attracting commercial and industrial developments, he believes, would spread the tax burden more broadly while providing additional opportunities for the community.

Having lived in the area his entire life, Drinkwater wants to see Glenboro grow and remain an active community not just for his generations but for the ones yet to come.

“I don’t want to see it (Glenboro) get unaffordable or become a place that is, you know, dust blowing up the streets, nothing there,” he said. “I want to see it build and prosper.”

He remembers a time when Glenboro had a greater variety of businesses and services and believes maintaining a strong local economy is essential to the community’s future.

Drinkwater said his previous experience as mayor gave him a different understanding of the realities of municipal government.
One of the biggest lessons, he said, was realizing that municipalities cannot simply spend money because a project is desirable.

“You have to figure out a budget,” he said. “You have to sit down and study it and figure out what needs to be done.”

With several councillors representing different wards, Drinkwater said the mayor also has to be willing to listen to differing opinions, mediate disagreements and help council reach decisions that work for the municipality as a whole.

“It can be challenging,” he said. “You have different problems, different solutions.”

Drinkwater acknowledges that returning to the mayor’s chair would come with its challenges, particularly with major infrastructure projects already underway.

He conveyed he is up to the challenge and that his previous experience gives him a perspective that could be valuable to the municipality.

“I kind of want someplace to have for my kids and grandkids,” he said.

Ultimately, Drinkwater said his decision to run again comes down to wanting to see Glenboro – South Cypress remain an affordable, viable and growing community.

He encourages residents to take an interest in the election and exercise their right to vote.

“The more that run, the better,” he said, noting that a competitive election can encourage more residents to participate.

His message is simple: if residents want a say in the future direction of their municipality, they need to make the effort to cast a ballot.