Residents of Ward 6 have a better understanding of what their potential councillors bring to the table after the open forum in Cherry Grove.
With current councillor Fred Bamber choosing not to run in the upcoming election there will be a new face representing Ward 6 in the MD of Bonnyville.
With that in mind, residents gathered at the Cherry Grove Community Centre on Tuesday Sept. 26, to hear each of the candidates thoughts on issues effecting the ward and MD.
“We need better crime prevention. I just heard of a young mother who was carjacked in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Things like that are too common in the MD. We need a better police presence,” said Del Tolley in his opening statement.
He wasn't the only one to raise the issue during opening comments Debra Pelechosky also touched on crime prevention.
While going door-to-door, Pelechosky noticed a serious change in the way constituents view the safety of the MD.
“Safety is a huge concern for me. We're all well aware of the fact that crime has risen in the area over the last few years. I have been told by constituents they used to leave their doors unlocked and now they lock them at all times,” she said.
Building on his counterparts' comments, Ben Fadeyiw explained he would like council to work with the province to limit the number of re-offenders in the area.
“I've been a victim of crime three years in a row. It's a provincial thing where jails are full. It's pretty sick to read the paper and see people getting off on $50 bail,” said Fadeyiw.
First time candidate Tim Ostertag chose to focus on regional cooperation and healthcare. If elected, Ostertag hopes to continue dialogue with Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland on better healthcare options for residents of Ward 6.
“An issue that comes to mind is the difficulty in finding a family doctor, as well as the months it can take waiting to see one. I have sat down and talked with Craig Copeland about this, and once elected, I will continue that discussion,” he said.
After each candidate spoke, the floor was opened for questions, with regional cooperation quickly becoming the first topic of discussion.
Four of the five candidates agreed they would work towards a better give and take system between the MD of Bonnyville, the City of Cold Lake, and the Town of Bonnyville.
Given his chance to speak on regional cooperation, Paul Gullackson took a different approach. With the MD expecting to finish the year in surplus, he won't be looking for funds from neighbouring municipalities.
“The City of Cold Lake is way behind and the MD is way ahead. I wouldn't be asking Cold Lake for any money. The MD is flush, and I think the MD has a great opportunity to help the community and pitch-in to Cold Lake and the Town of Bonnyville,” noted Gullackson.
Throughout the open question period, the conversation kept coming back to three key topics. Residents offered multiple questions and various solutions for the crime wave, inquired about regional cooperation, and wondered what the candidates plans for construction looked like.
Taking their constituents' views into consideration, each candidate laid out a clear list of their priorities. Fadeyiw, Ostertag and Pelechosky all stated bringing down crime rates as their number one priority, with improving healthcare options ranking close behind.
“Rural crime, healthcare, and from there recreation and roads. I think roads are important, but I think rural crime is where our attention needs to be right now,” Ostertag said.
Others put roads at the top of their priority list. Tolley said construction of MD roads should be council's main concern, but put equal importance on solving rural crime issues, and the construction of the regional waterline.
“To me, it's not rocket science, roads are the priority. I think we need better road construction. My second priority is the regional waterline. Safe water is important to the people that live here. My third priority is crime prevention,” noted Tolley.
Closing the night on a different note, Gullackson acknowledged the highly-discussed issues, but used his closing statement to address the topic most important to him.
“I think crime watch is very important, but like I said, the one thing that is near and dear to my heart is farmers. It's hard to make a living off a farm, and we take it for granted. Farmers should be taken into consideration,” expressed Gullackson.
With their candidates' views in mind, residents will elect a new Ward 6 councillor on Oct. 16.
