For the full interview, listen in to Connecting Albert County: The Audio Edit, wherever you stream your podcasts, or above.
Don Bowman is one of two candidates running for mayor in Fundy Albert in the 2026 municipal election, bringing a background in technical work, volunteer leadership, and what he describes as a strong commitment to community connection. Bowman enters the race without formal political experience but points to decades of community involvement and a collaborative leadership style as the foundation of his campaign.
Don Bowman is one of two candidates running for mayor in Fundy Albert in the 2026 municipal election, bringing a background in technical work, volunteer leadership, and what he describes as a strong commitment to community connection. Bowman enters the race without formal political experience but points to decades of community involvement and a collaborative leadership style as the foundation of his campaign.
Background and Community Involvement
Bowman has built a career in the HVACR field—heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration—working on complex systems and solutions. “These [business] experiences drive a desire to… continue to learn from the parties involved,” he said.
In the community, he has served as president of the Grays Island Cemetery, helping develop governance structures for long-standing family plots, and is currently vice president of the Hillsborough Kiwanis Club. “I enjoy full interaction with all levels of participants… and [am] very open to listening and implementing new ideas,” he said.
Leadership Style
Bowman describes his leadership approach as diplomatic and inclusive.
“My leadership style… would be considered to be democratic… allowing to hear all ideas to build a strong and supported solution,” he said.
He emphasizes listening and collaboration as key elements in decision-making.
Approach to Conflict
While acknowledging he has not served in municipal government before, Bowman said he would approach conflict by seeking understanding. “We need to listen to all angles and try to rationalize why… that person appears to be conflictive,” he said. He added that most residents ultimately share the same goal of positive outcomes for the community and that he looks forward to getting to know, and learning from, all the Candidates running.
Decision to Run for Mayor
Bowman initially planned to run for council but shifted to the mayoral race after encouragement from community members.
“At the very last moment… [community members and friends] convinced me that I should run for mayor,” he said. He described the decision as unexpected but believes he can meet the expectations of the role.
Campaign Preparation
Bowman has focused his preparation on conversations with residents across the municipality and he highlighted the importance of understanding the differing needs of communities within Fundy Albert.
“I’ve been talking with a lot of people to see what their concerns are,” he said. He wants to best understand the unique experiences of each location.
Platform and Priorities
Bowman has not presented a formal platform. He is emphasizing communication and listening as his primary focus instead, relying on his connection to constituents to inform his direction as he goes and relying on "old school" traditional ways of navigating needs.
“I honestly don’t believe that I’m ready to… present a platform other than delivering… straight up communication,” he said. He cautioned against making commitments without first fully understanding community needs.
Time Commitment
Bowman said his work schedule allows flexibility and that he is prepared for the demands of the role.
“I typically get up at 3 in the morning… so availability… is quite a wide range,” he said.
According to Bowman, focusing on key priorities could improve efficiency in council work, making the time commitments much more reasonable and achievable.
Training and Governance
Bowman expressed a cautious view on mandatory training, noting he would need to better understand its content before forming a firm position.
“If there’s value in this, for sure,” he said, emphasizing the importance of practical communication skills alongside formal training.
Regarding the New Brunswick Local Governance Act, Bowman said he supports rules and regulations when they make sense, but believes community needs should remain the priority. He said “My first duty would be to our community.”
Transparency and Accountability
Bowman expressed skepticism about the use of the term “transparency,” preferring a more direct approach. “Being honest and having ideas of how to openly share communications… will yield a much better result,” he said.
He said he would rely on feedback from residents to ensure communication meets expectations. “If the feedback… says you’re not giving us enough information… then you need to step it up,” he shared.
Environment and Natural Resources
Bowman emphasized community responsibility in protecting the environment, including addressing littering and improving waste accessibility for visitors.
He also highlighted his professional experience with environmental issues related to refrigerants and climate impacts.
On glyphosate, he said he would need more information before taking a firm position. “I need the facts… before really being able to weigh in properly,” he said.
Housing, Poverty, and Cost of Living
Bowman acknowledged the seriousness of affordability challenges and suggested a community-driven approach. “I would look to try to form a committee of neighbours… to work on ways to help,” he said. He emphasized understanding the root causes of housing issues before implementing solutions.
Economic Development
Bowman sees economic development as requiring strong leadership and community collaboration. “This takes backbone to deliver results,” he said.
He highlighted the importance of promoting local businesses and improving communication about available products and services to visitors.
Arts, Culture, and Tourism
Bowman described the region’s cultural and historical assets as significant but under-promoted and he supports collaborative efforts among local organizations to increase visibility and attract visitors beyond main travel routes.
“We’ve got attractions… that rival Niagara Falls,” he said, and feels like we could do more to increase visitor engagement off the beaten trail.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure concerns, particularly road conditions, are a key issue for Bowman. “I know some of our roads have… are disappearing, and that bothers me,” he said. He also raised concerns about declining rural roads and the need for improved maintenance and accessibility.
Amalgamation and Regional Unity
Bowman emphasized the importance of treating all areas of Fundy Albert equally. “I feel that it’s important that you have a council meeting in each one of your wards,” he said, discussing ways to make the community and councillors feel more engaged and connected to community.
He noted that some residents are still adjusting to amalgamation and stressed the need for inclusion across communities.
Closing Thoughts
Bowman concluded by emphasizing humility and openness to feedback and framed his approach as one rooted in neighbourly connection and continuous improvement. “
I’m not going to tell anyone… that I am the best for the job… [but ] I will… be open to communication,” he said. “Talking with me will be like talking with another member of your family.”
You can reach Bowman by telephone: 506-262-5687 and email: [email protected].
This article was reviewed & edited by June Crandall & Barbara Gebuhr, and developed with assistance of OpenAI.
Bowman has built a career in the HVACR field—heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration—working on complex systems and solutions. “These [business] experiences drive a desire to… continue to learn from the parties involved,” he said.
In the community, he has served as president of the Grays Island Cemetery, helping develop governance structures for long-standing family plots, and is currently vice president of the Hillsborough Kiwanis Club. “I enjoy full interaction with all levels of participants… and [am] very open to listening and implementing new ideas,” he said.
Leadership Style
Bowman describes his leadership approach as diplomatic and inclusive.
“My leadership style… would be considered to be democratic… allowing to hear all ideas to build a strong and supported solution,” he said.
He emphasizes listening and collaboration as key elements in decision-making.
Approach to Conflict
While acknowledging he has not served in municipal government before, Bowman said he would approach conflict by seeking understanding. “We need to listen to all angles and try to rationalize why… that person appears to be conflictive,” he said. He added that most residents ultimately share the same goal of positive outcomes for the community and that he looks forward to getting to know, and learning from, all the Candidates running.
Decision to Run for Mayor
Bowman initially planned to run for council but shifted to the mayoral race after encouragement from community members.
“At the very last moment… [community members and friends] convinced me that I should run for mayor,” he said. He described the decision as unexpected but believes he can meet the expectations of the role.
Campaign Preparation
Bowman has focused his preparation on conversations with residents across the municipality and he highlighted the importance of understanding the differing needs of communities within Fundy Albert.
“I’ve been talking with a lot of people to see what their concerns are,” he said. He wants to best understand the unique experiences of each location.
Platform and Priorities
Bowman has not presented a formal platform. He is emphasizing communication and listening as his primary focus instead, relying on his connection to constituents to inform his direction as he goes and relying on "old school" traditional ways of navigating needs.
“I honestly don’t believe that I’m ready to… present a platform other than delivering… straight up communication,” he said. He cautioned against making commitments without first fully understanding community needs.
Time Commitment
Bowman said his work schedule allows flexibility and that he is prepared for the demands of the role.
“I typically get up at 3 in the morning… so availability… is quite a wide range,” he said.
According to Bowman, focusing on key priorities could improve efficiency in council work, making the time commitments much more reasonable and achievable.
Training and Governance
Bowman expressed a cautious view on mandatory training, noting he would need to better understand its content before forming a firm position.
“If there’s value in this, for sure,” he said, emphasizing the importance of practical communication skills alongside formal training.
Regarding the New Brunswick Local Governance Act, Bowman said he supports rules and regulations when they make sense, but believes community needs should remain the priority. He said “My first duty would be to our community.”
Transparency and Accountability
Bowman expressed skepticism about the use of the term “transparency,” preferring a more direct approach. “Being honest and having ideas of how to openly share communications… will yield a much better result,” he said.
He said he would rely on feedback from residents to ensure communication meets expectations. “If the feedback… says you’re not giving us enough information… then you need to step it up,” he shared.
Environment and Natural Resources
Bowman emphasized community responsibility in protecting the environment, including addressing littering and improving waste accessibility for visitors.
He also highlighted his professional experience with environmental issues related to refrigerants and climate impacts.
On glyphosate, he said he would need more information before taking a firm position. “I need the facts… before really being able to weigh in properly,” he said.
Housing, Poverty, and Cost of Living
Bowman acknowledged the seriousness of affordability challenges and suggested a community-driven approach. “I would look to try to form a committee of neighbours… to work on ways to help,” he said. He emphasized understanding the root causes of housing issues before implementing solutions.
Economic Development
Bowman sees economic development as requiring strong leadership and community collaboration. “This takes backbone to deliver results,” he said.
He highlighted the importance of promoting local businesses and improving communication about available products and services to visitors.
Arts, Culture, and Tourism
Bowman described the region’s cultural and historical assets as significant but under-promoted and he supports collaborative efforts among local organizations to increase visibility and attract visitors beyond main travel routes.
“We’ve got attractions… that rival Niagara Falls,” he said, and feels like we could do more to increase visitor engagement off the beaten trail.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure concerns, particularly road conditions, are a key issue for Bowman. “I know some of our roads have… are disappearing, and that bothers me,” he said. He also raised concerns about declining rural roads and the need for improved maintenance and accessibility.
Amalgamation and Regional Unity
Bowman emphasized the importance of treating all areas of Fundy Albert equally. “I feel that it’s important that you have a council meeting in each one of your wards,” he said, discussing ways to make the community and councillors feel more engaged and connected to community.
He noted that some residents are still adjusting to amalgamation and stressed the need for inclusion across communities.
Closing Thoughts
Bowman concluded by emphasizing humility and openness to feedback and framed his approach as one rooted in neighbourly connection and continuous improvement. “
I’m not going to tell anyone… that I am the best for the job… [but ] I will… be open to communication,” he said. “Talking with me will be like talking with another member of your family.”
You can reach Bowman by telephone: 506-262-5687 and email: [email protected].
This article was reviewed & edited by June Crandall & Barbara Gebuhr, and developed with assistance of OpenAI.
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