Balancing agriculture, business and development is the main goal of an MD of Foothills election candidate.
Llana Malmberg, longtime resident of the Foothills, has announced her candidacy for MD councillor in Division 1. She will be running against incumbent Rick Percifield, who is finishing his first term.
“I’ve been interested in it always,” said Malmberg. “A few years ago I started to think, why not take this to the next level to do something community-minded but with a little more of a purpose?”
The Blackie-area resident met her husband, Kelly, at Olds College and together they have continued his family’s century-long grain farming tradition east of the hamlet. Once their two daughters were in high school, Malmberg decided to go back to school and then began running her own bookkeeping business.
As empty-nesters, the couple began putting more time into the community by volunteering for a number of causes and organizations. Malmberg has served on agricultural societies in Blackie and High River, worked with the Arrowwood and High River 4H clubs, and served various equine associations. She’s also involved with the Little Britches Parade and the River of Music in High River, and is on the High River and District Health Care Foundation.
Her interest in politics stems from her involvement with the community, and also her husband’s job as director of agriculture for Vulcan County.
“He’s involved with a lot of things that go on with council, so I’ve seen a lot of it over the years and been kind of involved as well,” said Malmberg.
She began considering a run for office last fall, but hesitated when she learned this spring that Percifield intended to run again in the 2017 election. Malmberg said she stepped back at first, until she started hearing support from people who told her if she was interested, she should go for it.
Malmberg said she can bring a lot to the council table.
“I have a huge interest in agriculture and business, because I kind of do both with my jobs, and I have a very big interest in the community, and this kind of puts it all together,” she said. “I can give back and share some of my knowledge and expertise.”
It’s been a steep learning curve so far, she said. From attending council meetings to learning more about the MD’s process to getting out and meeting people, she said there’s a lot to take in and a lot to do ahead of the election on Oct. 16.
She said it would have been a difficult task without the support of people in the community, like Dean Leask, who has been helping her with her first political campaign.
Leask, who has assisted with municipal, provincial and federal campaigns in the region, said Malmberg doesn’t need as much help as she thinks.
“You get into some of these things with different candidates, and it can be a struggle, and you find yourself running uphill all the time,” said Leask. “In three weeks, Llana has done more than almost any candidate I’ve worked with. They’re all good, but when you see this kind of passion it’s pretty outstanding.”
He said her level of organization and her drive are enviable, and getting her a lot of support.
“Guys like me are pretty excited about it,” said Leask. “Llana’s got a tremendous amount of support within the community, and the political community as well.”
Malmberg said her passion and drive come naturally as a goal-oriented person.
She said she’s excited for the chance to serve on council, especially with so many issues coming up in the near future.
Her biggest concern is maintaining a balance between agriculture, business and development, she said. With more proposed developments coming onto the scene each year, she said striking a balance will be key, and also challenging.
She said council is currently doing a pretty good job of trying to keep the balance between business and agriculture, but she wants to ensure it’s the focus for all future development.
“A lot of times those things work against each other and don’t always work, so one of my goals is to keep that balance and try to make it flow, where we can bring in revenue and business and all those things while maintaining a good quality of life for people who want to live rurally or want to live in a smaller town,” said Malmberg.
She said the rise in rural crime is also a concern, and she’d like to see whether more can be done with municipal enforcement.
More than anything, she said she’s prepared to be there for the residents of the MD, particularly in Division 1.
“I’m somebody who’s willing to go the extra mile when a ratepayer comes and asks a question,” said Malmberg. “We’re paying taxes and electing these officials, and they should be working for us.”
She said the campaign trail, though fresh, has already made her step out of her comfort zone. The feedback she’s received from other residents has helped build her confidence, she said.
Through the summer she intends to continue connecting with as many residents as possible, and seeking advice from those around her, including former councillors.
“All of it’s learning, it’s all just learning,” said Malmberg. “I’m not saying I’m coming into this with all the experience in the world or the most education or any of that, but I’m willing to learn, I’m excited to learn, and I’m eager to do the job.”
For more information visit www.llanamalmberg.com.
