The results of the municipal election are in, and residents in the Town of Bonnyville decided it was time for a few fresh faces on council.
The results of the municipal election are in, and residents in the Town of Bonnyville decided it was time for a few fresh faces on council.
The town released the unofficial results of the election announcing three incumbents and three newcomers to council.
Of the ballots supplied to town residents, 913 valid ballots were submitted.
Mayor Gene Sobolewski was acclaimed for another four-year term.
Elisa Brosseau lead the pack with 664 votes. During the campaign season, Brosseau made it her focus to improve the quality of life for young families in the area. The varying backgrounds of her colleagues on council has Brosseau excited to get the upcoming term underway.
"I think everybody that's been elected has their own unique strength, and I look forward to working with all of them as a team," said Brosseau.
Ray Prevost was not far behind, with 566 votes. The two remaining incumbents to be re-elected were Lorna Storoschuk (510 votes) and Rene Van Brabant (386 votes).
Newcomers Chad Colbourne (552) votes and Brian McEvoy round out the perfect balance of new and experienced councillors.
Morris Mickalyk narrowly missed out on a seat, earning 361 votes. Incumbents Jim Cheverie and Nestor Kunec were not far behind in the tightly contested race, earning 347 and 312 votes.
"I want to thank the departing councillors for serving this community. They did good work for the Town of Bonnyville, and I appreciate them. Having said that, I'm looking forward to working with the new faces, and I think this is a very healthy process," said Prevost.
All three of the incumbent councillors were excited for the prospect of working with a new group, and honing their skills to benefit the Town of Bonnyville.
They intend to work closely with each councillor, teaching them the ins-and-outs of everything from planning and development to finance, and the many other responsibilities they must now take on.
"I'm very willing to work with this new council we have now. We have three enthusiastic new people who have been elected. It's going to be a steep learning curve for them, but I'll be happy to help them know what they have to know," expressed Van Brabant.
The newly elected councillors reciprocated that excitement, as they prepare for a new experience. They'll have the benefit of working with councillors who have already accomplished a lot within the community, to help their ideas become a reality.
"We have a good base of current councillors that can show us what has to be done to work towards goals. Council over the last six years has achieved a lot. They identified and dealt with needs within the community. Now, we can use the resources of the old council and the drive of the new council to address new needs," McEvoy noted.
The sentiment was the same across the board, with each councillor expressing gratitude to their voters and excitement for the upcoming term.
After months of campaigning, listening to residents' concerns, and getting out into the community, councillors are excited to put it all into practice when the new council is sworn in.
"I think this is excellent, with the younger people on council we're sure to have some new ideas. I'm really looking forward to working with this new council," said Storoschuk.
Colbourne said he is excited to be elected for town council and working towards recreation and growing the community over his term.
"I honestly feel that we can do better in a few areas. I think either starting a recreational board or getting a recreational organizer is first and foremost," he added.
He also wanted to take the time to thank all of the candidates who ran in the municipal election.
Councillors will be sworn in during the Town of Bonnyville council meeting Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017.
