聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 About 120 Canora residents took the opportunity to listen to the nominees who are seeking the seven seats on town council during an all-candidates forum held last week.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 All but two of the 13 candidates attended the forum hosted by the Canora Courier and held at the Sylvia Fedoruk Centre on October 11.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Unable to attend were councilors Cory O鈥橠ell and James Trofimenkoff. O鈥橠ell said he had an urgent family matter and Trofimenkoff had to deal with family medical appointments. Trofimenkoff had submitted a letter which was read by Lorne Kopelchuk, the moderator.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Attending were: Mayor Gina Rakochy and her opponent former mayor Glen Leson, incumbent councillors Bradley Gabora, Sylvester Hrynkiw and Gerald Wolkowski, and nominees Sheldon Derkatch, Robert Dorush, Michael Fetchuk, Brent Pelechaty, Eric Sweeney and Kerry Trask.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Councillor Matthew Nehaj is not seeking re-election.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 As outlined by Kopelchuk, each nominee was provided time at the beginning to address the audience and then the last hour was spent on a question-and-answer session with questions having been written out and submitted to a reviewing panel.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Among the most common issues raised by the questions submitted and by the nominees themselves involved streets, health care facilities and medical staff, the golf park development and a need for attracting new businesses.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Mayor Gina Rakochy, a risk and compliance officer, said that having been on council for 16 years, she had to decide if she still had the same passion for the work as she had at the beginning when she had assumed there would have been a magic wand, unlimited budget and a superhero cape to wear.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淥ne can never lose sight on why you鈥檝e been elected,鈥� Rakochy said, adding that this council will never again see $700,000 in tax arrears and $100,000 in water arrears because of council鈥檚 efficient system to manage such arrears.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 She said that much of the town鈥檚 100-year-old infrastructure needs maintenance which requires tax dollars.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淲e need to keep in mind that Canora has been called the best place to live,鈥� she said, citing three pillars of a good community: education, health care and recreation. She said she had been proud to work with the school division for shared services regarding the library and of the collaborative emergency care system at the hospital. She said that doctors will have to be recruited and mentioned the community鈥檚 recreation facilities which are for the whole family.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Rakochy spoke favourably of the Communities in Bloom program and the community鈥檚 walking trails and said she would like to work to encourage developers of a seniors鈥� development.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淚鈥檝e just started, people.鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Former mayor Glen Leson, a retired funeral director, outlined his previous involvement with town council as an alderman and mayor and said he had been a member of the chamber of commerce and the rescue unit and had worked as the EMO co-ordinator. He said he has served on provincial boards and he and his family have long been involved in the community.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Discussing health care, he said the system from Nova Scotia had been taken and applied to Saskatchewan but because the two provinces have differences, elements of the system do not function as well as had been hoped.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Calling Canora primarily a retirement community, he said a strong health care is needed and was critical of the ambulance service when vehicles are sent to Preeceville. He said maintenance in the hospital is 鈥渟orely lacking.鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 From a maintenance standpoint 鈥渨e can do better, and have done better鈥� in the past, Leson said.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Kerry Trask, a facility manager, characterized Canora as a warm and inviting community, but said that town council needs new blood and new ideas.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淲hen Yorkton is too expensive, we want Canora to stand out as 鈥榯he鈥� place to live,鈥� Trask said, calling for incentives to attract new residents and new businesses. He said he wanted to work with council to help make Canora 鈥渁 place new people would like to call home.鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 After explaining that he has lived his entire life in Canora where he raised a family and volunteered as an RCMP auxiliary officer and member of the fire department, Sheldon Derkatch, a front end attendant, said that he is a 鈥渇orward thinking, honest, approachable person鈥� which is what is desirable for a council member.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Derkatch raised the issue of roads, the fire department and attempts to beautify the town and said elected representatives must be held accountable.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Brent Pelechaty, a sales representative and farmer, outlined his involvement in hockey, baseball and the snowmobile club and called himself 鈥渃ommunity minded, progressive and responsible.鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Saying his education in business administration and marketing helps qualify him for a council seat, he said his family loves where they live and he wants to be a 鈥渘ew voice to create solutions鈥� while spending tax dollars wisely.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淚 want Canora to continue to progress,鈥� he said, adding that he said he is a farmer with leadership roles and the town needs leadership.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淟eaders don鈥檛 ask why, they solve problems,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 know when to listen and when to follow.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淎 good council must anticipate,鈥� he said, urging voters to consider him for a 鈥渟tronger, safer, greener Canora.鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Micheal Fetchuk, an operator who has lived in Canora for eight years, said that listening to concerns of residents had inspired him to seek a seat on council. As problems and concerns, he listed the infrastructure; hospitals and health care, including doctors; businesses and business incentives; community events, and mischief and petty crimes.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Fetchuk questioned how those aged between 13 and 16 years can be kept occupied and of other challenges. He said he was an optimist who wants to seek solutions.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Canora can make great strides, he said, terming himself as 鈥渁 new choice for town council.鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Incumbent Councillor Gerald Wolkowski, self-employed, who has been serving for about 15 months, said he is enjoying the work.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淭here is lots to learn and lots to know,鈥� Wolkowski said, explaining that he had served 22 years on an RM council, including 12 as its reeve.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淭his is a great town here; we should be moving forward,鈥� he said, mentioning that he would like to see more businesses in the community. He said his main objectives are the health care system; senior housing; safety for seniors including sidewalks, and a taxi service.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淚 would like to see us love, live and enjoy Canora,鈥� he said. There are many things we can do.鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Sylvester Hrynkiw, an incumbent councillor who is retired, said that in his five terms on council he has served with two mayors, 16 councillors and three administrators. During that time he has served on several committees including protective services, general government negotiations, homecoming, leisure services and economic development.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Born in Canora, Hrynkiw said he had worked with the CNR from 1973 until his retirement in 2011 and has been involved in business and farming in the area since 1978.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淲e look at running the town as a business,鈥� he said, adding that he was pleased that the council had cleared up $700,000 in tax arrears, some of which were on the books for more than 20 years, and said guidelines have been established so that such arrears cannot happen again.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Hrynkiw said that there had been no tax increases for the first six or seven years he had served on council, and that minimal increases had been levied in order to keep up with inflation. He said he was pleased that council chose to purchase equipment rather than contract certain work out and mentioned the community鈥檚 paving program.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Eric Sweeney, a store man and shipper-receiver, explained how as an employee in Yorkton, his family was looking for a home and Canora had 鈥渇elt right.鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淲e chose to live here,鈥� he said, adding that Canora has lots to offer, but improvements can be made. He mentioned the infrastructure, saying that one should look after the assets while they are assets and not liabilities, and raised the subject of the possibility of a light industrial development.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to look after seniors,鈥� he said, terming the community as one of the best places to retire.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淏ut now we have young families, and we need to take care of the youth,鈥� he said, adding that he is critical of the habit of doing something because it has always been done that way.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淢aybe there鈥檚 another way,鈥� he said, calling residents to progress with the times. 鈥淚s there a better way? Let鈥檚 look.鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Robert Dorush, a collision estimator-manager, who was born and raised in Canora and now works in Yorkton, said that he does not do 鈥渃onventional wisdom.鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Solutions to problems is leadership, Dorush said, mentioning the subdivision which cost $1.1 million and is still an empty field of dreams which had been built, but no one came.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 He said he wished to stimulate growth, probably through a tax incentive and has many ideas which can be explored. If elected, he said he would definitely try to find answers and would try to fill the subdivision.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Leadership is needed for a safe and healthy community, he said, criticizing the medical system which he said has been 鈥渨atered down.鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 It is time to change; time to make Canora great again, he said.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Incumbent Councillor Brad Gabora, semi-retired and a golf course groundskeeper, said he has called Canora home for 50 years, including the 37 that he had worked for the federal government.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Working on town council, with its decisions and having to make priorities, is a tough job, Gabora said, adding that all members of council 鈥渨ork hard to make a community for everyone.鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 He promised to continue to work for the community, building on what the community has and build that which it still does not have. He promised to work hard and wished continued success for the community.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Councillor James Trofimenkoff, an administrative associate, who was not able to attend submitted a letter that was read by the moderator which said that he has been a resident since the seventh grade and outlined his many community activities including 小蓝视频 president of the staff club and co-chair of the employee safety committee with the Co-op.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽He has been involved with the credit union, Canora Flames, the slo-pitch club, the curling club, recreational hockey and has served as an official for minor hockey. As a member of town council for seven years, he has served on many committees and his priorities are to maintain recreational facilities, health care and continue with the town鈥檚 employee recruitment and training.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Incumbent Councilor Cory O鈥橠ell, who is self-employed, was not able to attend the forum.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 In the question-and-answer session, Hrynkiw replied to a question regarding the need for a garbage truck when Ottenbreit has the contract for the service, by saying that the truck is needed for backup and for the business area.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Asked if it is fair for residents in older homes to help pay for improvements in other areas, Rakochy said that although it is hard to tax older residents, council follows a formula devised by SAMA (Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency) and explained how the tax cap which had been a temporary measure, was removed so that now all ratepayers pay taxes according to the fair assessment.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Leson, who said council wrestles with taxes, indicated that the community鈥檚 water mains need to be replaced.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 When the incumbents were asked what they have done to bring new businesses to Canora, Hrynkiw talked about the new businesses that had recently opened, including a flower shop and grain holding facilities and said that council offers tax incentives over three years for new businesses. Rakochy mentioned the work of the community development officer and tax incentives and said that the key to entice new business is to support them; to shop local.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 To a question critical of the streets said to be 鈥渋n bad need of repair,鈥� Leson agreed that many have deteriorated. Some can be salvaged by patching and some need to be replaced, he said. Rakochy admitted that the 鈥渉ighways suck鈥� but council is attempting to get the department to rectify the situation.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淲e are the thorn,鈥� she said, explaining that council has a program of paving every three years, while replacing water mains on a yearly basis. 鈥淲e have a plan.鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 When asked if the nominees were seeking election for 鈥渢he right reasons鈥� or because of 鈥渁 beef,鈥� everyone responding denied having a beef.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淭o ensure taxes are spent wisely,鈥� Pelechaty said.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to see people get hurt due to a lack of protections,鈥� Derkatch said.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淣ew people mean new ideas,鈥� Trask said, adding that when it is 鈥渢he same old boys鈥� club,鈥� a community dies.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淚鈥檇 like to see a safe, vibrant place,鈥� Fetchuk said.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淚 pledge to make 鈥楥anora first鈥� decisions,鈥� Leson said.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Asked if they could, what changes would incumbents make, Rakochy said 鈥渘one.鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淲e spent lots of time soul searching and made no flip decisions. It鈥檚 tough at the table. We take our decisions very seriously and I stand behind them all.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Reinforcing Rakochy鈥檚 stance, Gabora said he does not think he would take back anything in the past two years, and said he was pleased to have seen the hospital obtain its clinic, and the improvements to the pool.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淲e鈥檙e doing something right and I鈥檇 like to continue,鈥� Gabora said.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Asked what council can do about empty commercial buildings, Rakochy said she鈥檇 like to see them filled. 鈥淲e鈥檒l continue putting out feelers,鈥� she said, urging anyone with ideas to bring them forward.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淲e support and encourage businesses, she said. 鈥淭hose that left did not leave because of a lack of support from town council.鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Leson said that the community needs a veterinarian and council should look at establishing eclectic specialized services.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Asked about attracting buyers of the golf subdivision, Leson said he favoured an aggressive approach to developers to build on speculation.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Regarding fluoride in the water, Hrynkiw said that the amount put in the Canora water supply is less than the fluoride that occurs naturally in the Regina water supply. Dorush said he would like to see a plebiscite on the matter, to which Leson agreed.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Regarding council meetings, Rakochy assured the audience that council meetings are open meetings, only if council must discuss certain matters, those discussions are closed, but the meeting is open again prior to the vote 小蓝视频 taken.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 In summation, Rakochy said she wants Canora to remain a community that all residents are proud to call home. Leson said that paving once in three years is not enough and that he would like to be mayor again. Dorush said a fresh face will have fresh ideas; Sweeney said that if elected he would be open and have Canora in mind, not himself.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淚 want to be part of the solution,鈥� Fetchuk said, while Pelechaty said that decisions town council will make will have long-term consequences.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淲e need to refresh some people on council,鈥� Derkatch said.聽
