93.1 The Border is asked candidates running for election a few questions about the reasons behind their decision to run.

Bill Langner is a candidate seeking to become a councillor with the township of Dawson.

Here are the answers to the questions we asked.

Why are you running for office?

I’m running for office in hopes that the township will continue to operate in an efficient manner as in the past, making the most of available resources, while keeping tax increases at a reasonable level.

What are the main issues you see your community facing over the next four years?

The main issues facing smaller municipalities are rising costs which are beyond our control, ie levies by DSSAB, OPP and Health Unit, while provincial revenues are reducing. Also, road maintenance takes up a major part of our annual budgets in terms of operating expenses, wages and repairs.

How would you tackle those issues?

The only way to deal with these issues is to ensure that we operate as efficiently as possible by closely considering /or deferring discretionary expenditures as well as proper planning for major capital expenses by making regular contributions to reserve funds.

What qualities or qualifications can you bring to the position?

I have 8 years experience on council, 2 years as councillor and 6 years as mayor. I have been on the DSSAB board for 8 years and chair of DSSAB’S Finance and Audit committee for the past 4 years. I am a retired bank manager, and during my banking career, I was branch manager, personal banking manager, commercial account manager and investment advisor. I completed The Canadian Securities Course, obtained my CFP designation as a Certified Financial Planner and licensed Mutual Fund Rep.