Sturgeon County Mayor Don Rigney will serve another term after being acclaimed on Monday.
Relatively few candidates put their names forward for the council election Oct. 18, with Coun. Karen Shaw, Coun. Don McGeachy and Coun. Tom Flynn all receiving another term uncontested.
Rigney said he takes his acclamation as a show of support for what he and council have been doing over the last three years.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to sit in that chair for the last three years and we have done a lot, but there is still much to do,” he said. “I appreciate the citizens putting their trust and faith in me and hopefully I can live up to their expectations.
Three of the county’s divisions have drawn a contested race.
In division three, incumbent Coun. Ken McGillis will square off against Catlin Letendre, a 21-year old from the Calahoo area.
McGillis, who is running for his third term on council, said he enjoys the work and looks forward to doing it for another term.
“I do get a certain enjoyment from representing people and being able to help them with their concerns.”
He said he would also like to see the conclusion of issues like the Villeneuve area structure plan and see what the county can do with industrial growth.
He said he sees an election campaign as yet another opportunity to hear from residents.
“It is part of the political process and I look at it as an opportunity to talk to people.”
The Gazette was not able to contact Letendre on Tuesday.
In division four, two newcomers have stepped into the race as incumbent Jerry Kaup has decided to retire. Al Homeniuk a retired RCMP officer from the Alcomdale area, will challenge Dave Kluthe, a farmer from the division. Both announced their candidacy last week.
Division five also has an interesting race with incumbent Joe Milligan facing off against former county employee Wayne Bullock.
Bullock was the county’s director of infrastructure services before retiring from the position last year and said he has been disappointed with the current council.
He said the changes council made to senior administration were unnecessary and because of severance packages and the work of hiring new employees, it was also expensive.
“There was not one thing that the previous administration was asked to do that we did not do.”
He said he would like to bring free dust control to gravel roads in the county if elected and would pay for it with the money council won’t be spending on severance packages next year.
Milligan said he welcomes the challenge. While he would have been fine with an acclamation he said elections are part of the job.
“That is what politics is all about.”
He said he is proud of what council has accomplished and looks forward to continuing its work.
“I feel I have done well for the people,” he said. “I think it is a process we started and I think it is working well.”
