WESTLOCK - Two-term town councillor Curtis Snell, the top vote getter in the past two municipal elections, will let his name stand again this fall, saying there’s more work to be done.
Snell, who topped the polls in both the 2013 and 2017 elections, said Westlock has made great strides over the past eight years and he wants to continue that work.
“I still really enjoy it. I’ve enjoyed the challenges over the years and there is always a new one around the corner, whether that’s at the council table or on one of the committees. I enjoy problem solving,” said the 56-year-old married father or two.
“And there’s always more to do. I think there’s more to accomplish and now doesn’t seem to be the right time to pack it in.”
Nominations for the 2021 municipal elections opened Jan. 1 and close Sept. 20, while the election goes Oct. 18. The long nomination period is new for this election and made choosing when to announce his candidacy a bit tricky, but following mayor Ralph Leriger’s announcement last week, Snell said now was the right time.
“I feel very fortunate over the past eight years to have been a part of councils that work well together. The last two councils have been diverse and had a wide variety of backgrounds, ages and interests. We always have our discussions, go through the process, vote and then whatever outcome there is we always support each other and administration to make it happen and then move on. I think that’s really important,” said Snell June 9.
“And having Ralph throw his hat into the ring was definitely a part of my decision. I think he’s done an outstanding job leading us over the past eight years. Every organization needs a leader and he’s done a great job. With him at the top we can go on to do some great things over the next four years.”
Having a plan and sticking to it, said Snell, has also been key to the town’s recent successes.
Documents like the town’s strategic plan help guide their decision making process and take the guesswork and emotion out. He also went on to highlight his work on water and waste commissions, saying “I’m really proud of that work and we’ve come a long way on both. As chair of the waste commission I’ve tried to run it the same way - have a strategic plan and meet the needs of the community.”
“I feel strongly about this … we’ve really tried to follow our strategic plan and then moving through our master plans for water, sewer infrastructure, stormwater and using that information in our asset management plan,” Snell explained.
“That helps us make a lot of decisions easier and informed. Certainly we have a long way to go, but I’m proud we’ve put resources into those things, as well as our GIS system, because I think it’s helped with our decision making over the last eight years and more so probably in the last four years.”
Snell is the third person to declare they’re running for council and follows first-time candidates Abby Keyes and Jon Kramer who put their names forward earlier in the spring. John Shoemaker, who’s been a councillor for the past eight years, has already announced he won’t be back, while Clem Fagnan also won’t be returning — see more on his announcement in an upcoming edition.
“We’re really going to miss John and Clem and all their expertise. But having turnover is good and so are new voices and perspectives,” said Snell.
“And to be honest one of the fun parts about the last two elections is that I knocked on every door in town and got to talk to a lot of people and hear their thoughts. I’m looking forward to it.”
