Council Members
Councillor Bev Benson
Bev Benson was born and raised in Trail and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Chemistry with a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources Management. She works for Teck Metals in the Technical Services Department as Section Leader, Administration & Operations Support. Her role at Teck involves leading people and creating a culture of innovation, respect, and adherence. She has participated in labour negotiations, multiple training programs in critical thinking and leadership, and she manages a multi-million-dollar departmental budget.
Bev is enthusiastic about her community. As a former dancer and dance instructor, she was afforded the opportunity to participate in community events and contribute to their success. Bev was Miss Trail in 2000 and then assisted in the revitalization of the program in 2008, and it continues to thrive and present a worthwhile, skill-based opportunity for Trail’s young women. More recently, she joined the board of directors of Community Futures Greater Trail. She enjoys supporting community growth, specifically new and exciting entrepreneurs looking to make their living here.
Bev and her partner, David, are supporters of the arts and attend many local concerts and shows. They feel blessed to live in an area that has and attracts such excellent talent. Bev’s niece and nephew, Winnie and Henry, keep her very busy and provide her with the inspiration to make our community better for the next generation.
Councillor Paul Butler
Paul Butler is thrilled to be serving as a City of Trail Councillor for a second term. Although born in New Westminster and a graduate of Burnaby’s St. Thomas More Collegiate and the Czech Republic’s Anglo-American University in Prague, Paul spent much of his youth in the Kootenays. In fact, generations of his family history is deeply embedded here; his grandmother, Isabel Butler, was one of the first female mayors in the Kootenays, holding the office in Kaslo from 1978-79.
Butler’s background in finance has served him well in his return to the region. After 15 years with Westminster Savings, he joined Kootenay Savings in 2017 as the Branch Manager in Trail. An active and willing participant in the community, Paul leads by example; he’s volunteered and served on various boards, including the Trail and District Chamber of Commerce, the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital Health Foundation, the Lower Columbia Initiatives Corporation and is the current Vice Chair and past Chair of the West Kootenay Boundary Investment Coop.
In his Council role with the City of Trail, he’s served for four years as the liaison to the RCMP through the Protective Services Portfolio, the Lower Columbia Community Development Team Society, the Chamber of Commerce and was the Alternate Representative on the Community Safety Task Force as well as Deputy Mayor for the City. Butler is dedicated to bettering his chosen community for the sake of his constituents, neighbours, and family – with the passing of his husband, Josh, in June 2024, Paul is now a single father to their loving daughter, Ella. Despite the challenges of this loss, Paul remains deeply committed to his work in Trail, focusing on economic development, community renewal, and being a resource for his fellow council members. He is enthusiastic about the future and what can be accomplished through his Council appointments to the Chamber of Commerce Board, LCCDT Society Board, the Downtown Trail Improvement Board, Protective Services Portfolio, the Trail Airport Advisory Committee, and the statutory appointment to the Library Board. Paul strives to find ways to make a sustainable impact and to give back to Trail and the beautiful Kootenay region he calls home.
Butler is a leader that comes from a place of listening first, learning second, and leading by example. Volunteerism, philanthropy, and social responsibility are all core values of Paul. His personal philosophy is supported by his belief in the importance of meeting his community’s greatest need, through giving back. These are the same values and views that the residents of Trail share with Councillor Butler, ones that have an enormous positive impact on our community.
Councillor Nick Cashol
Nick Cashol transferred to Trail with the RCMP in 1992 as a single parent with 3 children. He vividly recalls how they were quickly embraced and welcomed into the community.
Nick met his wife, Roberta, here and together they finished raising their seven children in Trail.
In 2007, after 15 years of front-line police service in Trail, Nick retired from the RCMP and he moved to Kelowna with Roberta. They always knew that one day they would return because Trail has always felt like ‘home’ to them.
Fourteen grandchildren later, Nick and Roberta are thrilled to be back! Nick is honoured and privileged to be able to continue to serve the people of Trail in this new capacity as your City Councillor.
Nick stands on his platform of ‘Advocacy, Accountability & Transparency’, delivered through purposeful, open & honest communication.
Councillor Thea Hanson
Thea Hanson is thrilled to be elected as a Councillor for the City of Trail. Thea Hanson has lived in our community for 13 years; however, her family has been here for decades. She is a local REALTOR® and has been an advocate of our community to every person that she helps relocate to our region.
Thea, with her husband Shawn, have two young children, Hunter and Axel. Planning for our future and our children’s future is key as we make decisions going forward and wants her constituents to know that she has our and our children’s best interests at heart.
She is a self-employed businesswoman and supports entrepreneurs and business owners and wants to see a thriving business community. She has volunteered her time over the last 12 years on numerous boards including the Lower Columbia Community Development Team Society, Trail Health and Environment Committee, Home of Champions Society, The Chamber of Commerce, and the Downtown Trail Improvement Committee. Thea has already been making our community a better place to live, work and play, but now can be a bigger voice representing the people of Trail. She listens, is a great communicator and strong negotiator. She encourages growth through economic development and retaining and creating the amenities that create a thriving community. She supports development with sustainable infrastructure and planning for those upgrades that will need to happen in the future.
Councillor Terry Martin
Terry was born and raised in Rossland, BC and that’s where he met his wife of 41 years and where they raised 3 sons.
Martin’s emergency services career began in Rossland in 1981 as a Volunteer Firefighter and in 1983 as a part time paramedic with British Columbia Emergency Health Services. He graduated from Selkirk College in 1990 with a Diploma in Registered Nursing. In 1991 Terry was hired as a career firefighter with Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue in Trail. In 2004 he was promoted to Deputy Regional Fire Chief and Emergency Program Coordinator and in 2010 became the Regional Fire Chief and Fire Dispatch Manager. Terry retired from the fire service in 2017.
The Martins moved to Trail in 2011 and love living here.
In 2019 Terry became a Board Director with the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital Health Foundation and a member of the City of Trail’s Community Safety Task Force.
Terry is honored to be elected to Trail City Council and this is his first term as a councillor. Martin will be representing Trail City Council on the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary’s Board of Directors. He understands the importance of giving back to the community with the hope of making it stronger. He strongly believes that we need to make Trail a city where people want to come visit and live.
Let’s work together to make us Trail proud!
Councillor Doug E Wilson
Doug was born and raised in Trail, B.C. and is honoured to be elected to Trail City Council. The City of Trail has provided Doug every opportunity he could ask for from sports to education and to employment. Doug wants to give back to the City of Trail that has given so much to him and to see the City of Trail move forward in a positive direction.
Doug moved away at a young age to further his education. This journey took him from Kelowna to Vancouver to Australia and back. It was an easy decision to pursue his legal career in the City of Trail. Doug currently is a lawyer at a local downtown law firm. He is an active volunteer and member of the board of directors for The Sanctuary Children House.
Doug is proud to be in this position to be able to serve the people of Trail in the capacity as Councillor. Doug’s goal as Councilor is to make Trail the #1 priority when it comes to decision making.