Congratulations to Lou Hall, Westlock County’s first-ever female reeve.
Yes folks it’s taken 74 years for the county (the old MD of Westlock was formed in 1943) to finally have a woman as its leader. It’s about damn time!
For the next 12 months Hall will chair the meetings and serve as council’s spokesperson — we sincerely wish her the best. But her appointment at the county’s organizational meeting Oct. 24 was as unexpected as it is significant. It’s not that we think she isn’t qualified — six of the seven incoming county councillors are rookies, so they’re all a little wet behind the ears when it comes to local politics.
What was of note is that she was unchallenged.
And while we won’t speculate on why that was the case — three other councillors declined nominations — it brings us back to an idea we’ve floated on this page from time to time and has been bandied about at the council table.
Should we consider electing a reeve-at-large as part of the Municipal Election held every four years? If councillors, by-and-large, aren’t keen on the job, maybe it’s time for voters to select someone who wants to do it.
We elect a mayor for the Town of Westlock, so why not elect one in Westlock County? Historically most rural municipalities in Alberta, and small urban ones like the Village of Clyde, sees its mayor, or reeve, selected from council.
But in recent years that model has changed in amalgamated municipalities like Lac La Biche County, which saw the town and county unite years ago. Voters there elect a mayor and the same goes in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
And just over the border in Thorhild County in an Oct. 16 plebiscite, residents voted 689 to 478 in favour of directly electing their reeve. And in keeping with the others, Thorhild is an amalgamated municipality.
So, why should we do it here?
A complaint we’ve heard from past reeves is that being the spokesman means there’s less time to focus on their division. And focusing too much on their division means pulling away from their role as reeve … it’s a bit of a catch-22.
But plebiscites aren’t cheap, we get that. And to be frank this council has enough work on its plate for the next 12 months without even thinking about this issue.
That said, it’s something to keep in mind and hopefully a topic that comes up at the council table.
