Fritz Wyssen intends to run for Quesnel City Council.
Although the official declaration of candidates isn’t until September 14, Wyssen picked up his nomination package on Tuesday, July 24. Active in the community, Wyssen is retired and dedicates most of his time toward volunteer work, and raising his children.
He and his wife moved to Quesnel almost 14 years ago, when they were looking for a “family-strong” community to raise their family.
While there have been challenges, Wyssen says his children have had a very strong upbringing and he wants to continue that. “And I’m looking forward to their future, as well as everyone else’s,” he says. “We plan on being here for a long time, so we want to make it the best we can.”
Wyssen says he’s been thinking about running for council for a few years now, especially since the most recent election. He says he tries to participate in as many public hearings and petitions as possible, to make sure he stays up-to-date and involved in the community. “I just feel I’ve reached the limit of where I can, as a public individual, assist in our community.”
He believes that if he’s more engaged in the decision-making process, that he’ll be able to really bring out the views of the public at council.
READ MORE: Two city councillors won’t run in October elections
Wyssen also has experience working in several local jobs and industries. “I’ve served 15 years a paramedic, quite a few of those here in Quesnel. I’ve been in the mill industry, the forest industry, the mining industry.”
His wife and kids are Métis, and he serves on the board of the North Cariboo Métis Association. Wyssen also volunteers with the Baden Powell Service Association (BPSA), which he says is similar to a scouts program; he’s assisted with airshow groups; and was part of the Quesnel Family Group a few years ago, which he says “wanted to try to energize the community and get things going” during its two-year run.
One of the things Wyssen is particularly interested in if elected to city council is reading through the city’s financial reports. “Finances is a passion of mine,” he says.
Once featured in a MoneySense article about budgeting and how to retire early, Wyssen says that the financial reports that are probably boring to most are the opposite for him. “I enjoy going through them and picking everything out and making sure that we’re on the right track.”
Although he enjoys budgeting and saving money, Wyssen says he isn’t against spending money. “Sometimes we need to spend money on things for the bigger picture.”
Wyssen just wants to make sure whatever is spent, is considered with an eye on the future. What will the spending mean for Quesnel in five, 10, 20 years?
He says he believes he has a rapport with the community, and that everyone should be involved in what’s happening around Quesnel.
“An involved community is a strong community.”
heather.norman@quesnelobserver.com
Like us on Facebook