Locals will have the opportunity to vote for a new mayor in Trail, Warfield, Montrose and Fruitvale next month.
Only Rossland Mayor Kathy Moore went unchallenged when the nomination period for the Oct. 20 civic election closed at 4 p.m. on Friday.
It will be a three-way race in Trail between Lisa Pasin, a current city councillor finishing up her first term, and newcomers Bryan DeFerro and Casey LeMoel.
In Warfield, Mayor Diane Langman will face former councillor Tom Milne at the polls. Langman entered politics four years ago when she was elected as a village councillor in the 2014 municipal election. She withdrew from that position in December 2016 to run for the head seat when former mayor Ted Pahl moved across the country for a new job. Langman has been serving as mayor since winning the February 2017 byelection. Tom Milne was also voted in as a village councillor in 2014, but didn’t finish the term as he resigned in January 2016.
Two sitting councillors, both serving the Beaver Valley, have thrown their hats into the mayoral ring to challenge the current leaders.
In his bid for a third elected term as Montrose mayor, Joe Danchuk will face Coun. Mike Walsh at the polls.
Walsh, a former village mayor, won his councillor seat in a January 2016 byelection.
After retaining her seat by acclamation in 2014, Fruitvale Mayor Patricia Cecchini will face Coun. Steve Morissette.
Morissette is finishing up his first term as an elected councillor. Cecchini was elected as a Fruitvale councillor in 2008, then voted in as mayor in 2011.
As far as councillor hopefuls, there are no shortages of candidates, and many are new to local politics.
In Rossland, 14 people have put their name forward to win one of six seats. Interestingly, nine of those have no previous experience in office, though three candidates are incumbents. Of the remaining two, one is listed as “served other” and the other served on Rossland council prior to 2014.
Seven candidates are vying for one of six seats on Trail council. Four are incumbents, two have never held an elected seat, and one served prior to 2014.
Three rookies in Warfield politics are seeking one of four seats. Joining them on the ballot are two incumbents from the 2017 Warfield byelection.
Similarly in Montrose, two newcomers are challenging two incumbents, and two candidates who served prior to 2014, for a place on the village’s four-seat council.
Along with choosing a mayor, Fruitvale voters will have nine candidates to select for the four councillor seats.
Five of those in the running have not served office before, three are incumbent and one served prior to 2014.
Within the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, all director positions went unopposed.
Director Ali Grieve from Area A will serve another four years by acclamation. Grieve was also acclaimed in 2014, which followed her big win in the local government election three years earlier (2011).
This is the third term Area B Director Linda Worley will hold by acclamation.
For a full list, including those running for school trustee in Kootenay Columbia, turn to Page 2.
General voting day is Oct. 20, which will include a referendum for residents of Rossland, Warfield and Trail.
In all three municipalities, electors will be asked:
• Do you assent to the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary disposing of those portions of the sewer service infrastructure that are located within the City of Trail to the City of Trail?
• Do you assent to the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary disposing of those portions of the sewer service infrastructure that are located within the City of Rossland and that portion of the sewer service infrastructure located between the boundary of the City of Rossland and the boundary of the Village of Warfield, to the City of Rossland?