We are less than a week away from Nomination Day in advance of the Oct. 16 Municipal Election, which means those interested in running need to be at their respective council office between 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Sept. 18.
If you follow the politics of Westlock County you have no doubt at read our coverage of the recently-released municipal inspection report.
Interest in one of the seven seats up for grab has been strong with a dozen candidates so far.
But that interest is probably a bit of given as the report, and our coverage of this council over the past four years, has highlighted the epic dysfunction. The stakes are high for the new council as it, along with administration, will be responsible for implementing the 27 recommendations contained within the report.
But with so much focus on the county, the other four elections have largely gone under the radar, even though there are at least five vacant seats and no shortage of issues
Pembina Hills Public Schools only has one incumbment running again, Jackie Comeau. And PHPS has had its fair share of controversy over this term, with the most recently dismissal of its superintendent — the third in the last decade.
In Clyde, only mayor Doug Nyal has officially declared his intentions to run again. Christa Clausing has indicated that she would run again if there was no one else willing to do it and the remaining incumbents have chosen to keep their cards to their chest.
Of course, the Town of Westlock is looking to at least fill the seat vacated by Wyatt Glebe. All the other six incumbents, including mayor Ralph Leriger, are running again and they have a track record of working well together. That said, there’s got to be someone else willing to run?
And finally, no one has stepped up to take the reins from George Oko on the Evergreen Catholic School Division board.
It may be as simple as people are content with the job these boards and councils are doing, but as the old saying goes: In democracy, people get the government they deserve.
If you care about how decisions are made in your community and you have what it takes, consider running.
You have less than a week to decide.
