Strange case of civic engagement in Brandon

The strange behaviour of a 30-year-old Brandon resident perplexes some city council and board members, but generally exemplifies a civic engagement that is becoming lost art.

He is perhaps the most informed millennial the world has ever seen, at least in this council term, in Westman, in the city of Brandon.

James Epp is known for letters to the local newspaper, emails to administrative staff at city hall, and records of attendance that confuse Brandon School Division members.

It’s a Friday afternoon. Epp stands in city council’s chambers. He has sharp, birdlike facial features. His glasses are thick at the top, and behind them are alert eyes. His head is shaven.

“Ask anything you like,” he says.

In response to a question about the mayor, Epp draws back an imaginary bow-and-arrow, bends his knees, and releases the arrow into the air high up into council’s chambers. He’s describing his opinion that Mayor Jeff Fawcett is a good consensus builder to bring people’s targets together.

“Sorry, I had to interpretive dance that one out,” he says.

Epp is comfortable to speak about civic processes. How much time do you have? He jokes. He finds an answer before the question finishes. If he doesn’t have an answer, a minute passes in silence.

The satisfaction of what he does — showing up to all kinds of civic meetings, ferreting through agendas, and sometimes prompting small changes, is not as exciting as it sounds.

“I would say there’s been more disappointment than satisfaction,” Epp tells the Sun. “I would say all my influences have been small.”

In December, Epp spoke at council to provide citizen feedback. His input led to a little change in a bylaw being discussed, and that’s normally how it is.

The strange part about Epp is that he attends Brandon School Division board of trustees meetings in an atypical way, said chair Linda Ross. He makes a habit of it, rather than coming to vent about a single issue.

“People only generally come to board or council meetings, or whatever, when they have a particular interest; this is absolutely not the case with Mr. Epp,” she says.

“He’s been there at the last three board meetings in a row, maybe four.”

The same situation plays out at city council meetings. Mayor Jeff Fawcett says that Epp’s regular attendance has made the millennial a familiar face.

“I wouldn’t say we don’t start till he gets there, but he probably has as good attendance as anyone in the chamber,” Fawcett tells the Sun. “I talk to him quite often, and it’s easy to because he’s curious, and interested.”

“Most come for the politics, he comes for the procedure.”

Showing up this way on a regular basis to Brandon City Council has been the modus operandi for longer than a year. It started in 2023 when Epp was interested to see how money was being spent on the Park Community Centre.

At that time Epp spoke, making an argument that he still considers a poor showing. His speech did not generate the results he had hoped for.

“For whatever reason, the switch flicked. I was like, ‘I need to be more interested in this,’” Epp said. “It’s a cheap line, but you take an interest in politics before it takes an interest in you.”

When asked if that defeat was a motivating force, he says, no.

In present day, the 30-year-old spends a few hours each week reading up on all the agendas; what is the Brandon University Board of Governors up to these days? Any takers? He sometimes identifies a topic of interest and wants to voice up on it. He also likes to inform people in his private life about happenings in the city.

The attendance interferes with his private life in some ways, he says. But there is a clear order of priorities if a conflict pops up between his civic meetings and his personal matters.

“If my friends, or work need me, then this is not my number one,” he says, but his voice lingers for a moment, and it’s clear he has something to add.

“Unless you plan to speak. If there’s something that is on the agenda that I want to speak about, then maybe it’s different.”

The influences Epp has had are undramatic. In 2024, he caught an error in a bylaw that would have mistakenly deleted several categories of dwelling units. The city sent him an email: thank you for the public presentation, it will be corrected.

The conquests at council have impressed at least one person. Coun. Bruce Luebke (Ward 6) said he thinks Epp has demonstrated common sense, as well as the ability to think logically and form opinions.

“He does his research, and understands what’s going on on a variety of topics,” Luebke told the Sun. “He definitely seems to have a passion for it.”

Epp has the type of disposition that makes for a successful councillor, Luebke adds. In a completely unrelated comment, which surely is unrelated, he says he thinks the two of them are the same in some ways.

“I’m probably noted a little bit as one of the councillors that is more picky — on following proper policy, procedure and bylaws,” Luebke says. “And so I guess, from that standpoint, James and I think a little bit alike.”

Luebke asks whether Epp is running for council.

“I’ve gotten that a few times,” Epp told the Sun. “No. My standard answer is: I won’t be running for council unless I have to.”

If someone is running for council without any competition, and they will just get the seat without a vote, then he must get involved, he said.

Until that time comes, the lifestyle of the bachelor continues on (he jokes about meeting single ladies his age at these meetings). And to get the same rush that he used to, he has to step it up a notch.

Epp has been shopping around for new meetings to add to his list. The RM of Cornwallis was one possibility, but he could not be at the Assiniboine College Board of Governors meetings and the Cornwallis council meetings when the two lined up on the odd Tuesday, he said.

“It’s just kind of comical,” Ross said.

“So few people are interested in any of these things that are going on, at least to stay informed on a regular basis. For someone to be so interested in so many different organizations that their meetings conflict, is just kind of amusing.”

“It almost sounds like this is his hobby,” Luebke said.

“You know, in a lot of ways, we all have our things that maybe take our mind off work or whatever else. Maybe this is his. I can’t speak for him. But I had a conversation with him recently, too, about the Keystone Centre board. So maybe he’s looking to add to his portfolio?”

After being pushed into a guessing game, Ross tries to profile Epp’s occupation.

She ponders: he is always clearly reading things from Brandon School Division agendas before attending the meetings, and he’s always informed …

“My guess would be that he would do something that required research and reading,” Ross says in a phone call. “So, you know, maybe, maybe he does policy work for government? I don’t think he’s a librarian. But, it fits for me.”

Epp confirms that he works in a policy-and-procedure-heavy role full-time. He declines to give the details for print. His professional life seriously influences his approach to civic matters, he says.

The reason behind his attendance is that local government is most accessible to the public, he says. The easiest influence one can have is engaging their municipal government, and yet it does not get the eyes it deserves.

“So much attention is on the province, what the province is doing, but not so much on the local,” he says. “Take an interest. I don’t want to say you have to do what I’m doing, (but …)”

In some respects, Epp is at odds with these boards and the council, being a dangerously interested citizen, but he seems to have earned a welcome.

Ross says it’s wonderful to see Epp engaged like he is, Luebke says “kudos” to the man, and Fawcett says it’s all good.

» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com