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(other election stories being added as time permits) From the Smoky Lake Signal, Volume 18, Number 23, October 4, 1995 Dareld
Cholak - Division #1
Dareld Cholak, reeve of the County of Smoky Lake for the last three years, and county councilor for nine years, is running in Division 1. Division 1 has been expanded to include part of Division 4, up to a half-mile west of Highway 36. Dareld Cholak, with his wife Diane, run D & D Cholak Confectionery in Spedden. Born and raised in Andrew, Dareld Cholak graduated from Andrew High School in 1967. He worked for the provincial government as an auditor in the provincial auditor’s office. The duties included auditing the provincial health budgets – doctor’s claims, group and individual insurance coverage claims. For two years Dareld Cholak took accounting at NAIT to earn his Business Administration Certificate. In 1974, the Cholaks moved to Spedden to buy their store. In 1986 Dareld Cholak ran for county councilor in Division 1, and in a five-candidate race earned the seat on council. In 1989 and 1992, he was re-elected by acclamation. “My goal has been to work for unity within our community,” said Dareld Cholak. As a member of the county school board Dareld has worked aggressively to keep the county region united within one district, under regionalization. Reeve Cholak has worked to achieve equalization of service throughout the region. As reeve of the county he has pushed for equal, quality ambulance service throughout the county region, with the result that the eastern portion of the county now has access to a full-qualified paramedic. As chairman of the Smoky Lake Economic Development Committee and vie chairman of the St. Paul/Smoky Lake Community Futures program, Mr. Cholak has been involved in ongoing efforts to improve economic conditions in the region. As chairman of the Smoky Lake Regional Doctor Recruitment and Retention Committee, Dareld has spearheaded efforts to bring new doctors to Smoky Lake and Vilna. This is an ongoing challenge to many rural communities. Reeve Cholak is the chairman of the Lakeland Regional Health Authority. Doctor recruitment is very important, said Dareld Cholak. I plan to propose to the provincial government that if necessary a two tiered method of paying doctors should be implemented. Dareld Cholak, as reeve, has been an important contact with the provincial government. In 1990-91 when then Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Ken Kowalski, wanted Pine Ridge 2 to be built at the Sean Hills area in his riding, the County of Smoky Lake, under Reeve Cholak, pushed for the expansion to be built at Pine Ridge here. He was successful. Out of the 15 proposals, Smoky Lake’s was the best. While Vilna Hospital has lost its acute care services, it has remained open 24-hours a day with eight long-term care beds. It could have been worse. Glendon and Mrynam have lost all their beds. They’re open five days a week, eight hours a day. Vilna is open seven days a week, said Mr. Cholak. One of Reeve Cholak’s other accomplishments has been to make sure the Lakeland Regional Health Authority office was located in the Smoky Lake provincial building. It is logically the central spot in the region but it took more than just logic. The provincial building is provided rent-free. The County of Smoky Lake actually helped the RHA get its start in Smoky Lake. This type of county provincial cooperation is Reeve Cholak’s hallmark. Another example, the Vilna homecoming in 1990 was to see thousands of former residents coming back to reminisce in the village. The Vilna Agriplex had no floor on its ice surface and the space was needed for the homecoming. The reeve and councilors were at a convention in Edmonton. Reeve Cholak suggested they spend the afternoon at the legislature, seeing what could be done. They met with agriculture and economic development ministers and learned from them about an agriculture-initiatives grant that they hadn’t heard of before and had the agriculture society fill out the forms. Reeve Cholak drove it back to Edmonton himself, and six weeks later, Vilna had a cheque for $103,000 to cement the floor. Said Reeve Cholak, “We help anyone. There are grants available, you just have to access them.”
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