As the Village of Barnwell gears up for the By-Election on September 25th, 2023, get to know the dedicated individuals vying for your vote. Explore their backgrounds, values, and visions here. Dive in, and make your choice an informed one.
For more information on the by-election, visit the Barnwell By-Election posting.
Del Bodnarek
Hello my name is Del Bodnarek, I have lived here in Barnwell since 1999.
I have had the fortune of raising all my children here in this warm safe community.
I have also had the privilege of serving on village council over 12 years, some of which were as mayor. Being on village council is a wonderful way to contribute to the community, and work with wonderful people.
I see our village as a great place to live which is a great community. I would like to work to continue fostering our growth in a responsible manner, growing our community, maintaining services, and maybe expanding them, while being aware that everything costs, and we have to be responsible to those paying their taxes for those services.
I also feel I was lucky to work with many wise people on council in the past who were all able to be wise and patient to listen to all points of view and work out solutions that best suited all our needs, hopefully you will see that I have that opportunity again
Thanks
Del Bodnarek
Sam Fowler
Sam has lived in the village with his family for 5 years. He completed his Doctorate of Physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne, Australia and since moving to Barnwell he has been actively involved in the community, school, coaching multiple sports teams throughout the year as well as annually organizing the Fun Run for Barnwell Days.
Sam enjoys being part of a rural community and feels it is important to represent the wants and needs of each community member while on council.
Sandy Watts
As a retired Land Surveyor, I have had the privilege of traveling to every corner of this beautiful country of ours. I have seen icebergs in the North Atlantic, polar bears in the Arctic, vast rivers that carve through the Rockies, the enormous expanse of unbroken northern prairie, and vibrant cities, but it is the quiet beauty of the Village of Barnwell that, 12 years ago, compelled me to chose it as my home.
I’ve been a civil servant since I first picked up a shovel as a laborer on the Alaska Highway – a job I took to pay my way through art school. I was raised to believe in hard work, honesty, and service to others. As a professional surveyor I worked in private industry, Federal Public Works, and taught aspiring surveyors at Camosun College. Since moving to Barnwell, I served 8+ years on the Municipal Planning Commission, was fortunate to have been recognized as 2019 Citizen of The Year, and have co-founded the Oldman River Arts Club.
I believe that communities work best when we all work together. In order to do that, we need, open and transparent communications and decision-making. No more finding out about something after the fact.
As a pensioner, I expect every penny of my tax dollars to be respected. With your support, I will work hard to protect our tax dollars and explore practical and creative solutions to challenges. We may not always agree, but I will always give you my absolute best.
Development in our community has been stalled for a few years now. We don’t need a population or development boom, but we do need growth. With my background and approach, I believe I can help get us moving forward again. We need to respect tradition while planning for slow and steady growth. Let’s welcome new neighbors and build a bright future together.
I’d appreciate your support for Village Councilor.