Municipal byelections are not always the most exciting part of our democracy, but they’re nonetheless an important part.
With Westlock County council’s recent decision to call a byelection to replace former councillor Maureen Kubinec — a decision that was certainly in the best interests of county residents — an opportunity presents itself for ratepayers to get directly involved.
There has been some vocal opposition recently from a variety of county residents who have been critical of decisions the municipality has made. And for every one who has made their views public, there are undoubtedly dozens more.
Of course, only Division 3 residents will be eligible to vote, but there is no doubt that many of those residents are also opinionated about what’s happening in their municipality. We have had several letters in recent weeks from county residents who have decided to take their grumblings from the coffee shop and put them into a public forum, like our newspaper.
We’re always pleased when readers help contribute to the dialogue by making their views known and being willing to put their name beside their sometimes-controversial ideas. But it remains to be seen whether those residents will seize the opportunity to have a say around the council table.
Recently, it seems like have been a few contentious issues around the county council table. The budget got a lot of push-back, with residents questioning how taxes continue to increase while services don’t always appear to keep pace. We have heard some concerns about the way the county seems eager to lend money to organizations like the Westlock Foundation and the Westlock Seed-Cleaning Co-op.
Even without these specific issues, the old cliché that rural residents tend to be happy as long as their roads are in good shape rings true. There are certainly some problems with some of the county’s roads, ditches and culverts, and somebody looking to make a difference could very well find him or herself in a position to make some changes.
We wholeheartedly encourage anyone who’s interested to get their nomination papers filled out so they can put their money where their mouth is.
