Headingley councillor enjoying new job

Newly-elected Ian Ruth still getting his feet wet

Although he admits he’s still very new to the job, Ian Ruth is loving every minute of his new gig as councillor for the RM of Headingley.

Ruth, who was an unexpected winner in last month’s municipal election, unseating council veteran Margaret Mills, said his new position is taking up a lot of his time and energy, but it’s something he expected during the campaign.

“I think I’ve had my feet on the ground pretty well since I went into this,” said Ruth of his month as a councillor so far.

“I did some research beforehand. My main reason for doing this was to help make Headingley a great place to live.

“It takes up quite a bit of time, but I knew that was going to be the case. I’m busy (with council work) every Tuesday evening, at least...plus there’s committees and other things we have to do. It’s a big commitment.”

Having made fiscal responsibility a key issue during his campaign, Ruth said his appointment to the committee dealing with the RM’s accounting is something he’s excited about.

“I’m glad to be on the accounting piece. It’s Jim Robson and myself on that committee, and it means I can scrutinize the accounts, which is something I’ve talked about doing.”

Ruth is also on, among others, the committees for health and wellness and infrastructure.

Working with a council made up of seasoned veterans – Ruth is the only new face in years – is another thing the councillor says will make his job easier.

“It’s a really good group of people. I’ve got a lot to learn, but I don’t think it’s going to be difficult to bring up an issue if you have a good factual background,” he said.

“They’re all reasonable people, and they all look at the facts.”

Overall, he’s just hoping to do what he told people throughout his campaign – to serve the needs of Headingley’s residents.

“I’m trying to do this with the backing of the community – not personal things,” he said.

“It’s been really exciting so far. I’m really enjoying it, although it’s a lot of work and I still have a lot to learn.”