The MD of Greenview Bids Farewell to Retiring Councillors
Greenview would like to thank retiring Councillors Dale Gervais of Little Smoky, Roxie Chapman of Ridgevalley, and Les Urness of Valleyview for their dedication and years of service to Greenview. Please read their bios below and join us in thanking them for their tireless service.
Dale Gervais will be retiring from Greenview Council this week after 17 years of distinguished service. He was first elected in 2004 for the Ward of Little Smoky and served as both a Councillor (11 years) and as Reeve (6 years).
Dale moved to Little Smoky in 1966 with his family and has lived there ever since. Throughout his years in Little Smoky, Dale married his wife of 48 years, raised two children and welcomed four grandchildren. Prior to his time as Councillor, he was the owner of Gervais Trucking Company, which he ran from 1974-2000.
When Dale retired, he decided to run for Council, looking to make a difference in Greenview. Looking back, Dale remarked, “I wish I had known just how difficult the role as a Councillor could be. Not the job really, but the variety of people a Councillor needs to work with.” “It’s an eye-opener and very challenging,” he included.
Dale is proud of what Council has accomplished throughout his tenure with Greenview. He is particularly proud of the building of the Greenview Regional Multiplex in Valleyview, AB, the completion of many capital improvement projects, upgrades to the Forestry Trunk Road, and progress on the Greenview Industrial Gateway (GIG) project.
In the twilight of his years with Greenview, Dale said, “I have worked hard to serve residents to the best of my ability.” “I am fortunate to have been able to work with some great Councillors and staff,” he added.
Les Urness will be retiring from Council this week after almost a decade of service. He was first elected in 2012 for the Ward of Valleyview in a bi-election and has served two subsequent terms.
Les was born in Sexsmith, AB and raised in Wanham, AB. Prior to his time on Council, Les and his wife raised four children in Valleyview, AB. He also studied electronics at NAIT, which led him to a 15-year career with Telus. He later went on to graduate with a Math Degree and eventually opened the South Peace Communications company.
After being elected to Council, Les felt he faced a steep learning curve as every day brought something new. Reflecting on his time as a Councillor, Les stated that “There were some tumultuous times and upheavals, but through it all, Greenview Council and Administration worked through it together.”
The dissolution of Grande Cache was one of these tumultuous times. Although Les was initially apprehensive of this move, he believes that Greenview has gained a lot by adding Grande Cache’s Councillors.
As his time on Council comes to an end, Les is proud of what Greenview has accomplished. He has come to realize that government works slowly and progressively, thus allowing new Councillors the time to make good decisions through this process. Les remarked, “A thousand good decisions have been made along the way to make everything work. I was fortunate to have always had a good compliment of people serving on Council who worked well together.” It took Les time to learn these things. Still, he hopes the “Greenview University – Council Orientation Program” will flatten the learning curve for new Councillors.
Roxie Chapman will be retiring from Council this week after eight years of service. She was first elected in 2013 for the Ward of Ridgevalley, Crooked Creek, Sturgeon Heights and has served two terms.
Roxie grew up in Ridgevalley, AB, where she lives today (in the home she was raised in). Before becoming a Councillor, Roxie raised two children, a son and a daughter. She also had a long career as an educator, working as a teacher, Vice-Principal and Principal. Her career included time at Hillside School in Valleyview, the Catholic school system in Grande Prairie, Penson School in Grovedale, and Ridgevalley School. In addition to teaching, Roxie also devoted her time to coaching many youth sports, including basketball, volleyball, badminton, and track and field over the years. No small task for a busy mother of two kids, each with their own activities.
Roxie has loved her time on Council and embraced the steep learning curve that new councillors face. As a voracious reader, she managed the large amounts of reading required for councillors, along with the rest of her workload. However, her favourite part of being a councillor was serving on various boards and committees. She has served on the Greenview FCSS Board, Peace Library System Board, PACE, Grande Spirit Foundation, and the Grande Prairie Public Library Board, among others.
At the end of her term, Roxie looked back fondly and remarked, “As part of Council, we were able to build community in Greenview. All of my fellow Councillors were incredibly accomodating.” “The learning curve for new Greenview Councillors is steep, and there is so much to learn,” she added.
Roxie also found great satisfaction in serving at a level where positive effects on change were visible and impactful. Following her retirement from Council, Roxie looks to spend more time with her family. She is especially looking forward to devoting more time to hanging out with her two beautiful grandchildren.
