Former mayor of Barriere, William Humphreys, or better known to local residents as ‘Bill’ Humphreys told the Barriere ronaldomanosa in an interview on Sunday, Feb. 2 he decided to run for mayor for the third time when he heard that Ward Stamer was running for MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson.
Humphreys was first elected on November 19, 2011 to become mayor of Barriere with his three year term ending on November 15, 2014 and held the position of Thompson Nicola Regional District (TNRD) chair for the last year of his term as mayor.
“I talked to my wife Rosie about it and decided if Ward Stamer won the MLA position, since I have experience already as the former mayor and know what to do, the legislative aspect of things and I should be able to help the community go along until they have a full-blown election. That is my drive in entering the by-election,” said Humphreys.
Humphreys said he has “decades” of experience in the corporate world as both a union member and manager as well having operated his own company previously.
"All of this experience has given me the knowledge to advocate for the residents of Barriere as well as working with our neighbours to grow our communities and improve the health and safety of our residents.”
When asked about what he feels are important issues to address if elected for the second time as mayor of Barriere, he pointed to infrastructure improvements and maintenance as outlined in the current council’s 2025 strategic plan report which has “recommendations from staff” on these “issues and how to proceed” with those recommendations.
There are other areas of concern such as health care improvements, he noted.
“We must reach out to the BC Emergency Health Services and the Ambulance Paramedics of BC to fully understand what needs to be done to make the recently changed service model better. During the last system changes our local station was converted to an Alpha station from an On Call station. Sadly, this does not seem to serve our area as it should,” he said adding that the local paramedics and Barriere First Responders need more support both financially and to “make their work situation the best it can be.”
He also suggested increased support for groups such as the Barriere Trail Society, Barriere Recreation, the Royal Canadian Legion, Barriere Scouts and the Barriere Lions along with “many others” saying these groups provide “an opportunity” for volunteering, socializing and “contribute to good mental health and a sense of pride in our community.”
Humphreys suggested investigating how Barriere is currently charging for district services giving the example of the sewer service, “Our sewer service could be charged as a usage-based model. This is done in a number of other communities so finding a process that works would be quite simple.”
The former mayor stressed the importance of promoting the community showcasing what a great place Barriere is to live. He said, “I am a past member of the BC Economic Development Association which has helped numerous communities in future development and expand initiatives.”
Humphreys said he has the qualifications and training to help the district continue on a path to success and extensive practical experience in leading groups to a successful completion of their goals.
He also cited his knowledge of legislation, budget and audit requirements and bylaw creation as well as “land development and the responsibilities of the district in guiding such efforts” and said those “tasks” fall to the district staff “once council communicates to them what they feel needs to happen.” He added that part of the puzzle is key to a well-run organization. "The district staff is well trained and not receiving clear direction is a disservice to them.”
Mayoral candidate Humphreys said he sees Barriere as a “safe and welcoming community” something he feels should be shared with those looking to move to the North Thompson in the future.
