Election Day is coming fast, leaving Lac La Biche County’ s current councillors with a decision to make -- to run or not to run.
Election Day is coming fast, leaving Lac La Biche County’ s current councillors with a decision to make -- to run or not to run. At this point, most of council says they are in contemplation mode for the coming municipal election, which will take place this October 16.
But at least one familiar name is likely to be on the ballet. Ward 4 councillor David Phillips told the POST he plans on running for a second term in order to see a few projects through, mainly relating to water and sewer.
“There are just a few more things I’ d like to work on,” he said specifically mentioning the installation of water and sewer in the Mission that is in its first phase.
“I want to follow that through until all my people have water and sewer,” he said. “There are also a few little subdivisions that have been left out.”
Ward 5 councillor M.J. Siebold is taking to the opposite path of Phillips, saying confidently that she will not be running for re-election.
“I’ m not running again because I’ m tired,” she said. “It’ ll be seven years, we’ ve had some personal health issues in my family and it’ s time to take a break.”
She did say she hopes to stay involved in some of the committees she is passionate about.
“So you’ ll still see me around,” she said.
But for most of the other councillors, the answer is not so cut and dry, with many saying they were still deciding whether they would be running again.
Ward 1 councillor Wanda Austin said as of this time she was not sure, as it is a large commitment and said she will have to give it some serious consideration. But whatever her decision may be, she said she wants to see progress in all areas of the county and that its rural areas are properly represented.
“I am passionate about making sure the rural areas get their share and don’ t get left out,” she said. “I am still and always will be a huge supporter of our fire and protective services.”
She also said she would like to see the Humane Society in Lac La Biche have a staffed facility.
“They are doing awesome work now and have done a lot of fundraising to help the animals they have rescued,” she said.
Both Plamondon-area councillors are undecided, preferring to wait longer before making an official decision.
Deputy Mayor Robert Richard of Ward 2 said he is still evaluating his options.
“I haven’ t officially decided if I am,” he said. “I’ m looking at all of my options, if I can find a balance between my business, personal and political life. But I’ ll definitely have an answer by the summer.”
Meanwhile, councillor Richard Olson -- who represents Ward 3 -- told the POST it would be better to wait until August to discuss whether or not he would be running for re-election. Olson says he will be holding a ward meeting in the future to which everyone is welcome where he will properly discuss his decision.
“It’ s like everything in life, I’ m 66 ... I’ ll be happy to be around in August,” he joked.
Ward 6 councillor Tim Thompson is also still undecided at this time but said he will probably declare his intentions within the next two months.
“It’ s a big decision, its another four years, that’ s quite a long time,” he said. “I just want to make sure I will be able to represent the people well.”
County Mayor Omer Moghrabi said he is not sure whether or not he will run for a second term but will issue a press release once he has made his decision which he hopes to announce by the end of April.
“I still have to weigh my options and discuss it with my family,” he said. “Until then we’ ll continue to keep doing what we do for the county as a whole. The term does not expire until Oct. 16, 2017.”
Councillor John Nowak - who along with councillor Hajar Haymour currently represents Ward 7 -- has yet to make up his mind, preferring to wait until closer to election time.
“A lot can happen before then,” he said. “If I feel I can still contribute positively to the community and I still have the energy and passion to do it then I might.”
Nowak said over the past couple of years he passed on a number of employment opportunities in order to be part of council.
“I’ m 37 years old and financially speaking, county council is not - for someone my age - a lucrative job,” he said. “But really, I do it because I love it and come election time, if I still have that passion I might. If not, then no.”
Likewise, Haymour is still making up his mind whether or not to run again but believes the completion of projects between now and election time will play a part in his decision.
“I haven’ t decided yet if I will or won’ t, it’ s still six months from now,” he said. “In August, if everything is completed that I ran for then I might. There’ s lots that has been done but there’ s lots to go.”
Haymour believes he will have made up his mind by July or August.
The average council pay, as reported in the municipality’ s 2016 operating budget for council, was approximately $78,000 for salary, meeting pay, benefits, “communications” and mileage. The mayor’ s pay for the same in-pocket remuneration was just over $100,000 for the year.
Nomination Day for the upcoming election is September 18.
