After six months on the Estevan City Council, Dave Elliot has been working with the city and figuring out how best to do his new job. Elliot was elected back in the fall of last year, accruing the most votes out of all the first-time council members.
He says the journey has been one that's had a lot of new information coming in.
"It started out with a lot of frustrations because I realized I didn't know half as much as I thought I did. So there's a stiff learning curve. Going into the budget deliberations, I guess I didn't realize the width and the scope of all that. So my frustration through that process was high, but my frustration wasn't with the city or my fellow councillors. It was with myself for not having done enough homework."
Moving forward, Eliiot says he's got the help of the city staff, who are great at responding to any questions he has.
With Elliot taking up the responsibilities of being a councillor, he says they've settled into good positions.
"As I'm getting my feet more on the ground, I feel more comfortable. And we've got a really good council. While we don't always agree on everything, we do respect each other. And we're able to work together for the benefit of the city."
Elliot says help has also come from some of the returning councillors and the Mayor, along with longtime staff like City Manager Jeff Ward.
As the city council has emphasized public communication, they've had a lot of success at their regular events.
"I think in general it's been positive. There are a few people who, of course, there's always going to be someone who's angry about something. And sometimes it's their right to be angry. Sometimes it's because of a misconception they have. But the thing is just not to respond in anger. Just respond calmly."
Overall, the transition from private citizen to councillor has been familiar for Elliot.
"There are the basic rules of etiquette, conduct and that. I had to learn those which really aren't that different from working with different companies in the oil patch. I guess for me, it's always been important to never burn a bridge, no matter what I'm dealing with. So I hope I'm maintaining that."
Elliot says his biggest topic he'd like to have a focus on is minor hockey, and the potential need for more ice surfaces in Estevan.
"It's always in the back of my mind now, the need for more ice. But there's also the other side of it is to ask the people of Estevan to take that big tax hit to support it is hard. So I guess that's something that I hope, at some point, we find a solution down the road. But I don't know where or how it could be done."
Elliot says that a renewed focus from the federal government in the most recent election may have changed that, but he doesn't expect that to come from the current government.