MD OF BIGHORN – When Paul Clark stepped down from his position on the Municipal District of Bighorn council, Alice James, and those around her, felt the time was right for her next step in community involvement.
That next step happened quickly as on June 17 she was officially sworn into MD of Bighorn council after she was acclaimed in the by-election earlier this month.
“I put my name forward because I know Paul Clark well and he suggested it first and then I decided to put my name forward because I spoke with neighbours and others in the community,” James said. “I was asked by several people who thought I should take this on.”
While she was ready for an election, being acclaimed was a bonus.
“I would have been prepared for an election and I had neighbours who said they would help me if we had to do that,” she said. “It was great that it was acclaimed.”
James is not coming into council as a rookie. She has spent the previous four years serving on the Community Services Board.
“I think it was 2017 I got on the community services board,” James said. “I was asked by neighbours that thought I had a good community spirit, and I would represent the community well.”
As a councillor, she will replace Reeve Lisa Rosvold on the board.
James has been a resident of the MD for 13 years, having come here for her husband’s work. She currently works as an artist blacksmith through Flicker Forge, while also homeschooling her two children.
“I do some blacksmithing as an art form. I like to do iron work that is forged and traditionally crafted and in a contemporary style. It is my art form,” James said. “I primarily homeschool my two kids. One just graduated high school and one is in high school and they have kept me quite busy.”
As a councillor, James has the goal of ensuring the concerns of her constituents are heard.
“I want to do the best I can in representing the people of Ward 3,” James said. “I want to represent the people and make sure their voices are heard.”
While she has not had a council meeting yet, her work has already begun as the newest MD of Bighorn councillor.
“I am just trying to get myself organized. Kind of pulling in my organization so that it is part of my daily route, and I am checking on things and knowing what is going on,” James said. “That is the big thing I have been doing now. Just kind of reading up on all the information that they gave me on the day of the oath. It is great. It is really interesting.”
