A St. Albert-based photographer has entered the city council byelection race.
Natalie Mikus, 34, announced on Friday that she is running in the June 24 byelection sparked by Gilles Prefontaine’s resignation.
“I love the city, I like where it’s going, I like how engaged people are and how they’re really making their voices heard as far as what they’re not happy with as far as things are going and what they’re excited about,” Mikus said of why she’s running for St. Albert city council.
Mikus grew up in St. Albert, living in several parts of the city, and, after several years in Edmonton and some time abroad in New Zealand, moved back here.
She has two young daughters. She was a lifeguard for a long time, worked in sales in New Zealand and worked for Alberta Blue Cross for six years as a team manager and trainer before turning to professional photography.
“There’s a lot of exciting things going on in the city right now, whether it’s the transportation plans or the Grandin development or the DARP (downtown area redevelopment plan), all that that’s going on downtown,” Mikus said.
She did note while she likes much of Amacon’s proposed Grandin redevelopment, she’s not a fan of the extra storeys the developer has proposed.
When it comes to DARP, she wants to see density downtown to support business but isn’t in favour of a new civic building.
Mikus is also campaigning on the issue of accountability and transparency, and is in favour of an internal auditor. She said she’s familiar with internal auditors and the value they can bring.
She said so far responses to questions around accountability have been reactive rather than proactive.
“That’s not saying we’ve done things wrong, just that it’s been reactive and I’d like to see that reversed,” Mikus said.
She’s in favour of a new branch location for the library.
When it comes to Villeneuve Road, she’s looking forward to seeing the city staff’s recommendations.
“It’s so tricky, because that road wasn’t built to handle the traffic that it’s handling right now,” she said, but pointed out closing it will add to people’s commutes.
When it comes to utility rates, she would like to revisit including the provincial grant funding that comes via the Municipal Sustainability Initiative being used to help fund future capital projects. Right now the city uses a portion of the total funds it gets from that grant for utility capital projects but its use is being phased out over the next five years and the funds re-directed to other municipal projects.
“That grant isn’t going anywhere, or there’s nothing showing that it’s going anywhere,” Mikus said.
Mikus said St. Albertans like their big lots, trails and green spaces.
“Certainly the addition of more density downtown, putting the density around the developments … those are great, but at the end of the day we are a market that attracts people based on the gorgeous boulevard, the flowers,” Mikus said.
Mikus has been volunteering with the city’s community services advisory board, though she is taking a leave while she runs for council. She’s also been involved for years with the kayaking community.
