The internal auditor is coming - at least, that was the spectre raised by many of the candidates at Thursday night's forum for St. Albert council hopefuls.
The internal auditor is coming - at least, that was the spectre raised by many of the candidates at Thursday night's forum for St. Albert council hopefuls.
All 18 candidates in play for a seat at the council table - two mayoral contenders and 16 would-be councillors - were on stage at the Arden Theatre ready to face questions from a panel and the crowd.
Taxes, accountability, utilities and transit were the hot topics at the forum, an event hosted by the St. Albert Taxpayers Association. The forum drew about 350 people, many of whom provided enthusiastic applause for their chosen candidates.
Though candidates offered a wide range of opinions on matters like taxes and spending, they all assured the audience that they could all work together if elected. This followed a pointed question about the nasty tone of the election so far.
One common thread from many of the candidates was that an internal auditor should be put in place to monitor spending and find efficiencies in the city's operations. Another popular suggestion was that the city adopt a zero-base budget process.
Candidates were given the opportunity to give a three-minute introduction of themselves and their platforms before launching into the question-and-answer portion of the evening.
More detailed story to follow Friday on our website and Saturday in our print edition.
