Running for city council was the natural next step for Camp Chestermere Director, and President of the Chestermere Chamber of Commerce Shannon Dean, as he has been heavily involved with the community by serving on committees and coalitions.
“For me, I was already doing so many different things in the community that it seemed like the next natural step to go and serve in public office. I’m heavily involved in the community and what happens in the community,” Dean said
Dean’s top priorities include finding ways to ensure the city can better support the social service network, recreation for youth, adults, seniors, and individuals with mobility issues, promoting small business and home-based businesses, reducing red tape, diversifying the tax base with residential and commercial development, and advocating for residents’ mental health.
“Reducing red tape, making it easier for home and small businesses to flourish, diversifying the tax base, continuing to find ways to support seniors so they can age in place, and improving accessibility so we have better diversity for all residents,” Dean said.
Adding, “There is a lot of talk about development, my concern is we’re focusing too much on development. We’re still in the middle of a pandemic, and that pandemic is affecting people of all ages from mental health to employment, and it’s not getting talked about,” Dean said.
Dean plans to listen to the needs of residents that have been identified by the social services network, changing the conversation to ensure the city is asking the network how they can best support residents, partnering with school boards to support students’ mental health, and offering program opportunities for individuals with mental health concerns.
Dean does not believe the Lakeside Golf Course land should be rezoned. Instead, he believes ideas should be brought to the table with innovative and collaborative ways for how to use the property.
“We have a great collaboration that already happens between organizations in the community,” Dean said.
If elected, Dean believes the city council should be asking better questions regarding new bylaws and new policies that come forward, by engaging with organizations that the policies will impact.
“We need to change the tone from what I see happening from the city to the community,” Dean said.
