聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 In less than a month, Saskatchewan residents interested in serving in an elected municipal office will have had to have their nominations submitted.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Nominating day across the province is September 21, and the balloting day, required where more persons are nominated than positions available, will be October 26.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 At Kamsack there will be at least four new faces on town council after this election because the mayor and three councillors have already indicated they will not be seeking re-election.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Mayor Rod Gardner, who has served on council for a total of seven years, told council at its regular meeting on August 15 that he would not be seeking a second four-year term as mayor.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 time to let someone else, who is fresher and with younger blood, serve,鈥� Gardner said, adding that his time on council, as a councillor and then as the mayor, has been a 鈥渞eally rewarding experience.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲ith such a good group of councillors around the table, it made the job really easy,鈥� Gardner said, commenting on council as having been comprised of people from varied backgrounds who had different opinions.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淓veryone had been elected with the right reason; they had the good of the community in mind,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 expect that those who will be seeking re-election will continue in the same direction.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 have no regrets regarding my time as mayor, but it鈥檚 time to close that chapter and have someone else take over,鈥� he said, expressing 鈥渁 big thank-you to the voters for having allowed me to serve them for the last seven years.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When polled last week, all six councillors had made up their minds regarding their intentions. Two councillors have decided to seek re-election; two have decided not to seek re-election and one is interested in the mayor鈥檚 chair.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Councillor Nancy Brunt, who is completing her first four-year term on council, said she 鈥減robably will鈥� be seeking the mayor鈥檚 chair.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Serving on council has been interesting, Brunt said. 鈥淵ou learn where your tax dollars go and about the limitations regarding what a council can do.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚鈥檝e had a really good council to work with. We discussed things but never fought.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淏ut there鈥檚 lots yet to be done,鈥� she said, explaining that she found it rewarding to be a part of the community and work to make it better.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪erving on council is not as difficult as some think it is,鈥� she said as a way of encouraging others to consider serving. 鈥淚f you run, you鈥檇 enjoy learning more about the community and how it operates.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Planning to seek re-election to council are councillors Claire Bishop and Maria Nahnybida.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 think I have another four years in me,鈥� Bishop said, explaining that she feels a council needs some continuity so that councillors serve in a rotation, rather than 小蓝视频 completely new after an election.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 really enjoyed these last four years; it鈥檚 been a great learning experience understanding the way the town is managed,鈥� Nahnybida said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good feeling 小蓝视频 involved in the decision making of the community.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Deciding not to seek re-election are councillors Rick Aikman, Sandy Nykolaishen and Joe Kozakewich.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚鈥檓 getting up in age and Kamsack needs (someone younger),鈥� said Aikman, who is completing his first four-year term on council. 鈥淭here are some good people out there and it鈥檚 time for younger people to step up.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 had decided to serve because I had wanted to see what it is all about; how the town operates and what is done with our money,鈥� he said, adding that although some strides were made particularly with regards to the new medical clinic and the establishing of Rob Ritchie鈥檚 businesses, he had hoped to see further developments, including a 鈥渟prucing up鈥� of the downtown area.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭here are some good young people in this town and I would urge them to consider seeking election because it is worthwhile,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 time for a new generation.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 enjoyed working with the mayor and my other colleagues, and it鈥檚 been a great four years,鈥� said Nykolaishen, who is also completing her first four-year term. 鈥淚 just don鈥檛 have the time to seek another four years.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t has been a privilege to serve on council,鈥� she said, adding that it had been great working with the administration staff, mayor and councillors. 鈥淚t has been a learning experience but I can鈥檛 commit to another four years.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢aybe in the future, but not now,鈥� she said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 thought about it a lot, I鈥檓 proud of what we鈥檝e done, pleased to have contributed and to have worked with an excellent mayor and council, but I鈥檝e decided to step back,鈥� Kozakewich said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 would encourage anyone to consider seeking election,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredible experience and a good learning opportunity. One receives a good understanding of how municipal government works and how municipalities interact with the other levels of government.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 feel we developed a strong momentum that I hope continues,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he work is challenging but gratifying.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 have nothing but praise for this council,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 very proud of it and all members of council should know they have been a part of a job well done.鈥�
