Nearly 70 people gathered at the Westlock Municipal Library on Oct. 3 for a chance to listen to what the three mayoral candidates had to say and grill them on the important issues.
Robin Brett, Ralph Leriger and Marjorie Sterling Miller occupied a large table at the head of the room, surrounded by 67 men and women hoping to hear what they had to say about the direction in which they would like to take Westlock if elected to the town’s top post on Oct. 21.
The candidates were given time to introduce themselves before being asked individualized questions. The final round of questions was designed so all three candidates would answer the same questions.
Brett led off the evening, and said he wanted to bring “energy and enthusiasm” to the position of mayor. He said he plans to be out there actively promoting and pursuing new businesses to come to Westlock through finding out what they want and would need as encouragement to set up shop in town.
He’s also keen on involving young people in the community, and working so they feel welcome when they return after attending post-secondary schooling.
Leriger spoke of how in the four years he’s been back in Westlock, he doesn’t see the “hustle and bustle” of a thriving community.
“There should be more life here,” he said.
He added he believes good planning leads to good governance, and on that point, he said he plans to conduct an inventory of the town’s entire infrastructure in order to map out when and how to fully renew it all.
Sterling Miller discussed what she felt were the town’s biggest accomplishments, including the expansions built by the Westlock Foundation and the teamwork involved with the Westlock Regional Water Services Commission.
She said the seniors bus is a “vital” service that needs to be kept afloat because it allows seniors and disabled residents autonomy to be able to get to appointments and run other errands.
It’s something the town and county need to work together on to keep running for everyone who needs it, she added.
One topic that came up during both rounds of questions was amalgamation between the town and county.
Brett said he felt it was something that must only be done for the right reasons. He likened amalgamation to a marriage, where both sides must benefit from the arrangement.
He added it also must be the final step in an already strong relationship, not as a means to strengthen one.
“You do it because you’re already working well together,” he said.
Leriger echoed Brett’s marriage analogy, adding arriving at a mutually beneficial amalgamation agreement is all about finding the right fit and common ground between both parties.
Sterling Miller argued the town and county have shown strong partnership on such initiatives as waste management and regional water.
She also said the results of the regional collaboration study bear being paid attention to, given how much the two municipalities will need to work together in the future.
The final question of the evening was a fun exercise where the three candidates were asked to name three things they would do to improve Westlock if they did not have to worry about the cost of the improvements or need to build consensus to get the improvements enacted.
Brett’s three items were a full mass transit system in town, dealing with the water tower and fully repaving all of the town’s roads.
Leriger said he wanted to build a better relationship with the county, put in place a conservative five-year economic plan and put in place some big, signature community event.
Sterling Miller said she wanted to put in place a regular seniors’ bus route, build sidewalks along both sides of all town streets as well as paving all roads, and find a way to lower taxes by 25 per cent.
Following the forum, the three candidates spoke about how they felt the evening went.
“I felt it went very, very good,” Sterling Miller said. “I didn’t think it would be this huge.”
The questions were very good, she added, and she was happy to see different people were asking similar questions.
With another forum scheduled for Oct. 9, she said it’s shaping up to be an interesting two weeks until the election.
For Brett, it was an “excellent” evening with “awesome turnout and awesome questions.”
He added he felt good there were more questions submitted than there was time allotted to answer them, as it showed there is interest in this year’s vote.
In addition, he felt the forum was a precursor to many more opportunities to interact with voters in the weeks remaining before Oct. 21.
Leriger said there was little doubt in his mind what the turnout Thursday evening meant.
“I can say with certainty there is lots of interest,” he said, adding the large number of council candidates also speaks to that interest.
In terms of the questions the audience asked, he said they were right in line with what he’s been hearing when he goes around town speaking to people about the issues that concern them.
The next forum is slated for Oct. 9 at the Memorial Hall for all mayoral, councillor and trustee candidates in the Town of Westlock.
The event, which is being spearheaded by former Shirley Morie, and co-sponsored by the Westlock News, Elks and Pembina Toastmasters, starts at 7 p.m.
Town council candidates will be first to speak and answer questions.
Once that portion of the forum has concluded the trustee candidates will have their say. The night ends with the three mayoral candidates back in the spotlight.
