WESTLOCK – Village of Clyde officials are hoping the sixth time will be the charm following a week that saw no residents step forward to run for the vacant council seat.
Nomination Day, Feb. 22, has become the movie Groundhog Day for the municipality which failed to garner any nominees Tuesday to Friday, daily from 10 a.m. to noon.
CAO Ron Cust said late afternoon Feb. 25 that he remained hopeful someone would contemplate the position over the weekend and step to the plate Monday morning, Feb. 28. He said the current council is a good mix of young and old and are intent on making the village a better place.
“We’ve got four people who are vibrant and are looking at the village through a different lens. It would be wonderful to add one more person to help in creating that full vision,” said Cust. “We’ve got a good balance with council right now, but it would be wonderful to add another person with a business mind, or someone who’s family orientated to complete the package.”
Cust said prospective politicians have to be aware there’s a 10-hour weekly time commitment, plus with COVID-19 restrictions loosening, the possibility of more travel. If the village doesn’t get a candidate by noon, Feb. 28, they’ll have to contact the minister of Municipal Affairs for further guidance.
The Village of Clyde was forced to call another byelection in early January following the resignation of deputy mayor Patricia Hamaluk, the second councillor to step down since the municipal election in October. Jerry Austin, who was one of five new councillors acclaimed to village council Oct. 18, stepped down in advance of the Nov. 8 council meeting citing medical issues.
On Dec. 20, Philip Petkau and Gerald Giroux submitted their names for the vacant seat, which was claimed by Petkau as Giroux withdrew his name from consideration.
