Splett faces two challengers in ward 8 race

Two candidates are challenging the current Ward 8 councillor to represent the city’s most southerly ward.

Of the three candidates — incumbent Jason Splett, Dhara Patel and Ketan Patel (no relation) — Ketan Patel is the only one who lives in the ward.

Splett, whose residence fell outside the ward boundaries when they were adjusted in 2022, said he’s proud of the work he accomplished since he was first elected later that year.

“We’re in a lot better situation as a city to prepare for the future and (I’m) proud to say I was part of the council that did that,” Splett, 50, said in an interview on Friday.

He said the city is in a better position financially than it was prior to this council, with more money in reserves and more assets.

“Our underground assets, above-ground assets and our rolling stock are in a much better place than they were previously,” Splett said.

The ward is bounded by Richmond Avenue on the north and Ninth Street on the east. To the west, it runs along 18th Street and extends along Maryland Avenue. It reaches south into land that was once part of the RM of Cornwallis.

Splett said water drainage is a concern that the city has worked to address with “a few improvements into the area,” though it still remains a prominent concern within the ward — especially after heavy rains and floods over the summer.

“Four years ago, when I knocked on all the doors, the biggest issue in the area was drainage, which you know, when I knocked on all the doors again over the last couple of months, drainage is definitely still top of mind in areas that have concerns,” Splett said.

Even though drainage issues still linger after four years on council, Splett says he’s confident the city is moving in the right direction.

He said the cemetery retention pond — which began construction in October of last year — is nearing completion, and the city also has future plans for drainage relief along Sycamore Drive.

Ketan Patel, 46, who works as a real estate agent, said area residents are concerned about the timeline for the retention-pond project.

“That project has been started for a long time and is somewhat finished, but not finished, and now all the equipment is gone. But (residents) want a clear answer when the project will be completed,” he said on Monday.

“When the city starts one project, it takes forever and sometimes they, just like this one, they stop.”

He said he thinks the retention pond will help when it’s completed, but he would like to implement “a clear timeline on infrastructure and when the projects will be done as well.”

“Some of the residents say their backyard (will get) two feet of water, like pretty much whenever we have a storm,” Ketan Patel said.

“They have installed private pumps, basically to pump the water to the front from their backward. And they said, you know, that the city hasn’t done anything to fix it.”

He said over the past six weeks his priorities have shifted to mirror the concerns of residents, one of which is better infrastructure for pedestrians.

“Residents in Ward 8 want a safe walkway (on) different streets,” he said. One of those is Lyndale Drive from Patricia Avenue to the cemetery.

“I walk myself there as well … and it’s a busy street. It’s a risk for pedestrians,” he said.

Ketan Patel also identified a pedestrian blind spot that he uses “pretty much every day.”

“On Magnolia Drive by Driedger Bay, it’s a big, like a curve there, a 45-degree curve. And there’s a public crossing and no visibility at all,” he said.

He noted that the city did recently install signs there, but said he would like to introduce a push-to-activate light-controlled crosswalk.

“It’s a genuine concern. We would like to see those lights installed there,” he said.

Dhara Patel, 38, who works in administration for the Brandon School Division, said she would also like to improve controlled pedestrian crosswalks, especially in school zone areas.

She said if she’s elected, she would work to change controlled crosswalks so pedestrians would only need to press the button once to cross and not on the boulevard as well.

“For a kid like, they’re not going to stop in the middle of the road. Traffic should stop both ways,” she said.

Dhara Patel said that as a mother with an elementary school-aged child, safety is one of her priorities.

Splett said pedestrian infrastructure falls under the umbrella of public safety, which is his “first priority.”

“(A) public safety measure that I would like to push forward is for a 40-kilometre-an-hour residential area,” Splett said.

“(I) lobbied to try to put in a four-way stop or three-way stop at Ninth Street and didn’t win the first go round, but still on my list of trying to get that put in place.”

Splett said he’d also like to see more stop signs along Magnolia Drive, Aberdeen Avenue and 13th Street to “slow that traffic down.”

Splett, who sits on the Brandon Police Board, said he wants to look at the population to police, fire and paramedic ratio “in order to keep people feeling safe in their homes and have better community supports.”

“As the city keeps expanding and growing, we definitely need to look at enhancing our resources there,” he said. “So, when I look at the police force, you know, is that adding a presence of cadets or officers and bylaw. I look at all three of those.”

Dhara Patel said she wants the city to grow, and isn’t opposed to developments, but not until public safety is improved first.

“Solve those problems first before you go ahead and start a new development … It’s helpful to create more job opportunities, but on the other hand, we don’t want more crime. We want safe neighbourhoods first,” she said.

She said if she’s elected, she wants to “revise the budget” with safety as a priority, and she questions the police service funding compared to the results police yield.

“I attend several meetings with (Brandon Police Service), but at the end of the meeting, they say they don’t have enough resources, so I’m like, ‘What do you mean enough resources?’ because the city is giving money to spend on payroll and service,” she said.

BPS requested a seven per cent funding increase from the city earlier this year, and the city received $300,000 for downtown public safety in April, the Sun previously reported.

“We have to revise the budget (and) where it’s going. Why are we having a safety concern,” Dhara Patel said. “So, I would definitely revisit the budget and then we’ll find out what we can do better.”

Ketan Patel said residents in Ward 8 want a stronger police presence after dozens of south-end residents found their tires slashed on more than 80 vehicles in March of this year.

“Not necessarily as much as downtown, but they want police cars just patrolling weekends and nights,” he said.

Ketan Patel said he won’t be able to attend the Ward 8 councillor candidate debate this evening at Brandon University, but Splett and Dhara Patel will be on the debate panel from 7-9 p.m.

Advanced voting is today in the main foyer at Brandon City Hall, Saturday in the Pioneer Lounge at the Keystone Centre and Oct. 22 in the main foyer at city hall. Election day is Oct. 28.

» rgerrard@brandonsun.com