High Level Deserves Answers

High Level has been my home since 2018, and I’ve come to care deeply about this community and the people who live here.

I’ve spent much of my career as a journalist and municipal communications professional, asking questions, finding answers, and helping people understand the issues that affect their lives.

One thing I’ve learned is that people make better decisions when they have the information they need.

That’s why I’m running for High Level Town Council.

I believe residents deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent, why decisions are made, and what’s happening with the projects and services they depend on.

We need to focus more on transparency and less on protecting the Town of High Level’s “corporate brand.”

Worrying about whether something will “blow up on Facebook” is NOT an acceptable strategy for public engagement and communication.

I’m not running because I have all the answers. I’m running because I believe we should be asking more questions, having more open conversations, and making sure residents are heard.

High Level is a great community with tremendous potential. I want to help us make the most of it.

You deserve transparency. You deserve accountability. You deserve answers.

On November 16, I’m asking for your support.

And, of course, your vote!

Vote for Bill!

Click here to learn more about me and why I’m running.

High Level Deserves Answers.

Good government starts with good communication.

Residents deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent, how decisions are made, and what their municipal government is doing on their behalf.

My name is Bill Schnarr, and I’m running for High Level Town Council because I believe transparency and accountability should be the foundation of local government, not something residents have to fight for.

I don’t have all the answers, but I’m willing to ask the questions. And I know where to look.

• My Experience
• A little about me
• Why I’m running
• What I want to accomplish

I’ve spent much of my professional life asking questions, finding information, and explaining complicated issues in ways people can understand.

As a journalist and newspaper editor, I learned the importance of asking difficult questions, checking facts, and holding public institutions accountable. I won 10 newswriting awards for my efforts.

As a municipal communications professional, I learned how local government operates, how decisions move through administration and Council, and how those decisions affect residents.

I’ve worked on public information campaigns, emergency communications, community engagement, municipal websites, public notices, and communications surrounding major projects and services.

That experience gives me a perspective on municipal government that I believe would be valuable at the Council table.

I understand the importance of good administration. I also understand that Council’s responsibility is to provide oversight, establish priorities, and represent the people who elected them.

These are very different but equally important jobs.

I’ve called High Level home since 2018. I love it here.

I originally came here to take over as editor of the Echo Pioneer, bringing with me years of award-winning experience in journalism, writing, and communications. With that job, I developed a strong commitment to freedom of speech, and a belief that transparency is a cornerstone of any functioning democracy.

When the Chuckegg Creek wildfire disrupted life across our region in 2019, I found myself among those whose employment was affected. Like many people in our community, I had to figure out what came next.

That led me to opportunities with the Fort Vermilion School Division and the Town of High Level. In 2021, I joined the Town full time as its Communications Coordinator.

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to tell High Level’s stories, celebrate its successes, help residents navigate difficult situations, and explain the decisions that affect our community.

I’ve worked with municipal staff, elected officials, local organizations, businesses, and residents.

I’ve seen what happens when people have the information they need, and I’ve seen the frustration that grows when they don’t.

That experience has shaped what I believe municipal government should be.

High Level residents deserve a municipal government that operates as openly as possible.

When I began working for the Town, I wanted Town Hall to be a glass house. Not literally, of course, but an organization where residents could see what was happening and understand why. Unless legally bound, any and all information should be available to the public in a timely manner.

I still believe in that principle.

Over the past several years, I’ve become increasingly concerned about the amount of information being shared with residents, significant changes in senior administration, the growing reliance on outside consultants, and the progress and costs of major municipal projects.

There may be perfectly reasonable explanations for many of these things. But residents should not have to guess what those explanations are.

When projects are delayed, we should know why.

When costs change, we should know how much.

When leadership changes, residents should know who is responsible for running their municipality.

And when Council makes decisions, the public should be able to understand the reasoning behind them, while respecting legitimate legal and privacy obligations.

That’s the kind of local government I want to help build. That is the kind of local government YOU deserve.

Stephen Graham Jones walked us through 23 things he has learned about writing during a keynote breakfast this morning at When Words Collide in Calgary, AB.

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