Thalia Hibbs
Running for council - City of Lacombe
Why do you want to serve on council?
I have a great passion for our community and a skill set designed to serve in this capacity. It is a great honour and privilege to be asked to represent your neighbours in decision making - I take this role very seriously.
I want our community to be the best it can be, a wonderful place to live and work, and having the right sort of governance in City Hall is critical to that happening.
I believe I have a positive vision for Lacombe, that is shared by many, and I know I have what it takes to help get us further in that direction.
What do you feel you can bring to council?
I bring a unique perspective, different from my colleagues on Council but still directly representative of many in our community – diversity on Council is essential for good decision making. I bring extensive governance experience, a pragmatic and respectful approach, a commitment to open and informative communication and a strong desire to give back to my community.
I set out to accomplish some very specific goals at the start of my first term and have either completed or made significant progress towards almost of them.
There are a great many things I am proud of over the past term however I would say one of the best is the clear evidence over four years around town of our new “open for business” reputation – so critical for our long-term sustainability.
If someone were to ask you “why should I vote for you” what would you say?
I believe I have proven myself to my community that I am a committed to empowering residents, a strong communicator, responsive, knowledgeable, positive, and always willing to put in the work required for a position into which the community has placed their trust.
Through solid servant leadership, I believe I make a difference for the good of our community.
What is your vision for the community/what are your priorities?
I believe we are headed on the path that I envision for the future of Lacombe - one that is forward thinking, vibrant, growing, and sustainable. Changes take time to implement, small course corrections are needed along the way.
We need to continue our “open for business” priority as well as focus on improving core municipal services such as roads, waste, and bylaw enforcement.
We need to continue involving the public in decision making and being open and responsive to the needs in our community and we need to carefully manage public dollars, spending both prudently and in accordance with community expectations of getting value for money.
Finally, that decisions are arrived at when considering all aspects of our community and all who live within it – there is a diversity of households that needs to be reflected in deliberations.
What is your professional experience and how do you feel it lends itself to municipal government?
I have prior political experience, as both a Trustee and Chair of a local school board as well as being an incumbent City Councillor and therefore both the practical experience as well as many years of training opportunities. Additionally, I work in a small, locally owned business where I have together the opportunity to see the challenges of small business in Lacombe but also the occasion to speak with many individuals as to what they think of our City.
I have also volunteered for many organizations over the years. Besides being rewarding to give back to the community, volunteering gives great insight as to needs in the community and ties one in closer to those who live within it.