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Council hopeful promotes community safety and female leadership

Sep 30, 2016 | 2:00 PM

A familiar face in North Battleford’s political scene is tossing her hat back in the ring.

Kelli Hawtin was elected to North Battleford City Council two and half years ago in the by-election. 

Her platform is based on a safe community which is also affordable for families, particularly young ones.

“I think I can bring a perspective of a young family and what’s really important to us,” Hawtin said. “Young families are looking to get started out in the community, we’re looking to raise our children and use all the parks and the green space.”

Hawtin said it’s important to have female representation in council, adding females, especially young females, aren’t often represented in politics because of the heavy family commitments.

Hawtin also emphasized community safety and trying to improve the city’s standing on the crime severity index. She said a lot of the initiatives are in there infancy and wanted to see them through. The councillor said continued work with Community Safety Officers is an “upstream solution” which will see “downstream benefits.”

Hawtin has lived in the Battlefords for nine years. She moved to the area at the age of 20 to attend North West College for nursing. She is now a practical nurse in the operating room of the Battlefords Union Hospital.

Hawtin said she came to the city for work opportunities and is now raising a family. She has a one year old daughter and is pregnant with her second child.

Hawtin’s husband Mitch runs a plumbing company which Hawtin is a partner in. Hawtin said her family completely supports her running again.

“It is very important for our family to be involved in the community,” Hawtin said. “It’s important for the future of our family to have a say in what happens in the community.”

 

Greg Higgins is battlefordsNOW’s city municipal affairs and health reporter. He can be reached at ghiggins@jpbg.ca or tweet him @realgreghiggins.