By Bill Schnarr
I’ve spent much of my professional life asking questions.
As a journalist, I asked questions about decisions being made by governments, businesses, and public institutions. As a newspaper editor, I worked to make sure people had access to information about the issues affecting their communities.
Then I went to work for municipal government, and discovered what things looked like from the other side of the desk.
Now I’m running for High Level Town Council.
And, as it turns out, I still have a few questions.
A Little About Me
I came to High Level in 2018 to take over as editor of the Echo Pioneer. At the time, I had a five-year plan.
I’m now in year eight of that five-year plan, which probably tells you something about how well things have worked out.
High Level has become my home. I’ve built a life here, made friends, and come to appreciate the people who make this community what it is.
My professional background is primarily in journalism, writing, and communications. Over the years, I’ve earned ten newswriting awards, worked as a reporter and editor, and developed a healthy appreciation for asking questions that sometimes make people uncomfortable.
In 2019, the Chuckegg Creek wildfire changed things for a lot of people in our region, myself included. My employment at the newspaper came to an end, and I eventually found work with the Fort Vermilion School Division and the Town of High Level.
In 2021, I joined the Town full time as its Communications Coordinator.
That job gave me a perspective on municipal government that most people don’t get to experience.
I worked with administration, Council, municipal departments, community organizations, and residents. I helped communicate everything from community events and public notices to emergency information, infrastructure projects, and municipal decisions.
I learned how the organization works, how information moves through Town Hall, and how decisions are made.
I also learned what happens when information doesn’t reach the people who need it.
Town Hall Should Be a Glass House
When I started working for the Town, I had a particular philosophy about municipal communications.
I wanted Town Hall to be a glass house.
Not literally, of course. That would be a spectacularly bad idea during a High Level winter.
What I meant was that residents should be able to see what their municipal government is doing, understand why decisions are being made, and know how their tax dollars are being spent.
I believe adults make the best decisions for themselves and their families when they have the information they need.
That principle should be at the heart of public communication.
If a project is delayed, tell people why.
If something costs more than expected, explain what happened.
If a municipal facility needs repairs, tell residents what’s wrong, what it’s going to take to fix it, and what the plan is.
Good communication isn’t about making an organization look good. It’s about making sure people are informed.
Unfortunately, over the past couple of years, I watched what I believe was a shift in the Town’s approach to communication.
In my view, providing meaningful information to residents increasingly took a back seat to protecting the organization’s image.
And I think that’s the wrong direction.
Worrying about whether something might “blow up on Facebook” is not a public engagement strategy.
Residents shouldn’t have to rely on rumours, speculation, or conversations in the grocery store to understand what’s happening inside their municipal government.
They should be able to ask their Town.
And their Town should answer.
What’s Happening Inside Town Hall?
One of the issues that concerns me most is the amount of turnover we’ve seen in senior municipal administration.
Over the past several years, High Level has experienced changes involving multiple Finance Directors, Corporate Services Directors, Municipal Clerks, and directors responsible for Operations, Planning and Development, and Emergency Services.
That’s a lot of going-away cake.
But seriously, what does that kind of turnover mean for the municipality?
Every time an experienced employee leaves, they take institutional knowledge with them. Relationships need to be rebuilt, responsibilities reassigned, and new people brought up to speed.
Sometimes turnover is unavoidable. Sometimes it’s necessary.
But when it happens repeatedly in important positions, I believe Council has a responsibility to understand the impact.
Are we maintaining continuity in municipal operations? How is turnover affecting projects and services? What is being done to attract and retain qualified people?
And what is it costing us?
We’ve also seen outside consultants filling important administrative roles.
Consultants can provide valuable expertise, particularly when specialized skills or temporary leadership are required. I’m not suggesting otherwise.
But taxpayers deserve to know how much those arrangements cost, how long they’re expected to continue, and whether they’re providing good value.
I want to see a clear plan for stable, effective municipal administration, with appropriate oversight from Council.
The CAO and Public Accountability
Another example of why communication matters is the recent change in the Town’s senior leadership.
An Acting Chief Administrative Officer was appointed effective May 28, 2026.
On October 9, the Town publicly announced that Council and CAO Viv Thoss had mutually agreed to part ways.
That’s more than four months between those two events.
Now, I understand that employment matters can be confidential. I’ve worked in municipal government, and I recognize that there are legitimate legal and privacy obligations.
But there’s a difference between protecting someone’s private employment information and keeping residents informed about who’s running their municipality.
I believe residents should receive timely information about significant changes in municipal leadership.
I also believe they deserve to understand the financial implications of those changes, to the extent that information can lawfully be disclosed.
What will the leadership transition cost taxpayers?
What’s the plan for recruiting a permanent CAO?
How will Council ensure stability in administration moving forward?
Those are reasonable questions.
And reasonable questions deserve answers.
Where Is Our Multiplex?
Then there are the projects.
High Level has discussed some significant municipal projects over the years, including the proposed multiplex.
My question is fairly simple.
Where is it?
More importantly, how much money has been spent on planning and studies? What have those studies told us? Is the project still a priority? And what’s the plan for moving forward?
I’m not suggesting that every proposed project should immediately be built.
Major infrastructure is expensive, and municipalities need to make difficult decisions about priorities and affordability.
But those decisions should be explained.
The same applies to our pool and arena.
Residents have seen assessments, repairs, closures, and ongoing discussions about the condition of these facilities.
What’s been spent? What still needs to be done? How much will it cost? And what’s the long-term plan?
There may be perfectly reasonable answers to all of these questions.
So let’s hear them.
This isn’t just about recreation facilities, either.
Roads, water and sewer infrastructure, municipal buildings, and other essential services all require planning, maintenance, and investment.
I want residents to have access to clear information about project budgets, timelines, delays, and results.
If something goes wrong, explain what happened.
If priorities change, explain why.
And if a project is completed successfully, let’s celebrate that too.
Transparency shouldn’t be reserved for bad news.
What I Want to Accomplish
I don’t believe the role of a municipal councillor is to manage Town employees or interfere in day-to-day administration.
That’s the job of the CAO and municipal staff.
Council’s responsibility is to establish priorities, approve budgets and policies, provide oversight, and represent the interests of residents.
And I believe meaningful oversight begins with asking good questions.
If elected, I want to work toward better public reporting on municipal spending, major projects, consultant contracts, and administrative priorities.
I want Council to have the information it needs to make sound decisions, and I want residents to understand the reasoning behind those decisions.
I want to see a stronger commitment to public engagement, where residents are consulted early enough for their input to make a difference.
I want to see greater attention paid to the long-term costs of maintaining our facilities and infrastructure.
And I want to help build a municipal government that doesn’t view criticism as something to be avoided.
Sometimes people complain because they’re frustrated.
Sometimes they complain because they don’t have all the information.
And sometimes they complain because they’ve identified a legitimate problem that needs to be addressed.
We should be willing to listen in all three cases.
I Don’t Have All the Answers
One thing I want to make clear is that I’m not running because I think I can walk into Town Hall and fix everything.
That’s not how municipal government works.
One councillor has one vote. Making meaningful changes requires discussion, cooperation, and the support of Council.
I’m also not going to pretend that every problem has a simple solution.
Sometimes the right decision will be expensive. Sometimes it will be unpopular. Sometimes it will mean telling residents that something they want simply isn’t affordable right now.
But I believe people are capable of understanding difficult decisions when they’re given the facts.
What I can promise is that I’ll do my homework.
I’ll read the reports, examine the budgets, listen to residents, and ask questions when something doesn’t make sense.
I’ll be willing to challenge decisions, including my own assumptions, when the evidence calls for it.
And I’ll do my best to explain why I vote the way I do.
I won’t always agree with everyone, and I don’t expect everyone to agree with me.
But I believe every resident deserves to be heard and treated with respect.
Why I’m Asking for Your Support
High Level is a great community with tremendous potential.
I’ve seen that potential in the people who volunteer their time, the businesses that invest here, the organizations that support our neighbours, and the residents who care enough to speak up when something isn’t right.
I want to see us make the most of it.
Eight years ago, I came to High Level as a journalist.
I spent years asking questions for a living, then spent years helping municipal government communicate with the public.
Now I’d like to put that experience to work at the Council table.
Not because I have all the answers.
But because I believe residents deserve them.
On November 16, I’m asking for your support in the High Level municipal by-election.
High Level deserves transparency. High Level deserves accountability. High Level deserves answers.
And I intend to ask the questions.
Bill Schnarr
Candidate for High Level Town Council
Vote for Bill!
