Wednesday, Sept. 14, North Battleford voters go to the polls to determine who will fill the seat on city council left vacant by the departure of Rhonda Seidel earlier this year.
Seven candidates have stepped forward to offer their names for voter support in the byelection. Polls are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Civic Centre and an advance poll runs Sept. 10 between 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at North Battleford Public Library.
The Regional Optimist has interviewed all seven candidates and offers this profile of the candidates in advance of the byelection.
Krista Crockett
Throwing her hat into the election ring for the first time, Krista Crockett says she brings a unique perspective to the council race - that of a mother of three kids raised in the community. She pledged to fill a void on council to be a "spokesperson for different families and residents."
Crockett, administrative assistant at Sakewew High School, has been active in the community as a volunteer. She has served as president of the Battlefords Skating Club, as board member of the Boys and Girls Club, and is active with the United Way, BridgeFest Relay for Life and other organizations.
"It was time to look for a different way to do things for our community," said Crockett, who said her motives to run come from "concern for the people of the Battlefords."
She says her approach if elected to council would be to work for mutually beneficial solutions for the community. Two items she wants to see pursued are the CUPlex project as well as revitalizing the downtown core.
Crockett's visualizes a future downtown as "something like Broadway in Saskatoon" - one that's busy and filled with people, she says.
Crime is also a concern for Crockett, who wants to see solutions to make the community safer.
She also wants to see more programming in place to keep kids off the streets and make the streets safe. "We live where we live - let's make it safe for everybody," said Crockett.
Crockett also supports the plans for curbside recycling coming to the community.
"We need to get people on board to do more recycling," said Crockett.
Morley Dickson
A 12-year resident of North Battleford, Crandleberry's owner Morley Dickson says "the time is right" for him to make his first attempt at elected office.
He believes he can contribute and "work towards the goals in our city and bring new ideas."
A major theme of Dickson's campaign is bringing prosperity to the Battlefords, with Dickson expressing the view that prosperity cannot be accomplished without strong leadership.
Dickson said he wants to see an increase in the tax base, and wants the city to actively search out "family-supported industries that will bring us large amounts of good paying jobs."
He believes the city should actively seek prosperity and have the structure in place to allow the city to grow.
On the issue of turning around the downtown core, he says "it's a complex problem" and believes up until now the city has left downtown businesses to carry the burden of solving the problems on their own.
That isn't fair, he says.
"We cannot expect people in the downtown core to do it on their own," said Dickson, who expressed the view that the stakeholders downtown need to be supported to be able to make the changes needed.
Dickson also said he wants to see "action" on the downtown now that the downtown surveys have been done.
"We have the information," said Dickson. "What are we going to do about it?"
Dianne Frank
A North Battleford resident since 1976, Dianne Frank has worked with the Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency as a regional administrator.
She has also been active in the community with the Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Red Cross, Relay for Life, the skating club and other organizations.
Frank says she is running because "I care about the future of North Battleford." She is happy to see the progress in the community with the building of the CUPlex, for example, a project she said was "long overdue".
She also says she wants the progress to continue.
"You're either progressing or digressing," said Frank, who believes there's no "in-between" on that issue.
One of the main issues she wants addressed is the crime issue. The additional officers will help she says but she'd also welcome "more interaction with people and with neighbours with everybody looking out for each other."
"We don't want to be on the radio as having the highest crime per capita in Canada."
She also wants to see the tax base broadened and more businesses coming in to the city.
As for the issue of the state of downtown, she has a dim view of the current situation there.
"I think it's dead and I think we have to look at something different," said Frank, who expressed concern about the safety situation in the core.
She did not go into detail about what could be done, but suggested she would like to see more shopping downtown and perhaps more community involvement in that area.
Frank also pledges to "work diligently for the betterment of all aspects of our community" and expressed willingness to work hard and listen to the people.
Greg Lightfoot
A financial advisor, currently owner/operator with the Hein Financial Group in North Battleford, Greg Lightfoot says he believes the city is in a growth spurt right now and says he has much to offer if elected to council.
"I believe North Battleford is doing very well right now," said Lightfoot, who has been a resident of the Battlefords since 1987.
"I believe with my leadership skills with Battlefords REDA and with the contacts and the meetings that I've had with federal and provincial ministers and government officials gives me good experience and leadership skills to help this community move forward."
Lightfoot previously chaired the Battlefords REDA, and also served as a director on the Chamber of Commerce, on the executive of the Battlefords Kinsmen Club and as president of the Battlefords North Stars and a vice-president with Catholic Family Services, as well as volunteer roles in several other organizations in the community including the Red Cross, Relay for Life, United Way and others.
One of the issues he sees as important going forward is operating costs for the Credit Union CUPlex and making sure those issues are addressed.
"A lot of people are concerned about how we are going to run the CUPlex facility when its fully up and running," said Lightfoot, who said he has been a supporter of the CUPlex project "from the get-go".
Another concern of his is safety, though he calls the addition of five police officers a "very good sign." Getting something done with the downtown core and improving the appearance of the community are also important issues, he says.
Lightfoot believes his financial background will help when it comes to the city budget, and says his approach would include "find(ing) out exactly where some areas could be dealt with to save money, and where there are some overruns and costs that we're dealing with that may not need to be there."
Lightfoot also wants to see council meet the public a lot more and get their ideas on what should be done.
Brian Maunula
After many years of activity within the North Battleford community, Brian Maunula is making his first run for a city council seat.
"I've always been interested in civic politics in North Battleford," said Maunula, who believes he can "add value" to the current council by offering the skills he currently has.
Maunula, the former CEO of Innovation Credit Union and now owner of Re/Max in the Battlefords, pointed to his "background in finance, budgeting, governance, strategic planning" as skills he would bring to the table.
He is currently vice-president of Battlefords Rotary Club and vice-president of the Council of Battlefords Realtors and has chaired the multiplex project from its inception. He has also been active in community groups including Battlefords Chamber of Commerce, Battlefords AAA Midget Hockey Club and the Wayne Pruden Golf Tournament.
Maunula wants to see the city "reach out and grow the number of people and businesses in the community." He sees continued growth opportunities over the next five to 10 years in the region.
His approach would be to "make sure we are fiscally responsible in our overall approach to taxation," and "keep our tax increases to a minimum but making sure we are also improving services within our community."
Maunula also wants to see the tax base expand, and wants to see increases in the business base and in population to spread the taxes out.
"To download it onto the current individuals makes it very difficult for everyone," said Maunula.
Brad Pattinson
A familiar name from civic politics, having served 15 years on North Battleford city council before an unsuccessful run for mayor in 2009, Brad Pattinson is seeking to return to his former position.
The longtime councillor and also former mayor of Cochin says he continues to have great interest in municipal affairs and cites that as a reason why he is running again.
Pattinson points to the issue of the downtown core as one of the issues he is concerned about in this campaign.
"The current policy of the city appears to be to want professionals down there, to force them," said Pattinson. "That can't work. Downtown can be revitalized but not in that way."
Pattinson said it takes "a market-driven approach to fixing downtown." He adds it is "very difficult to expect someone to move into one of those old downtown buildings in this new world of technology and such, and try to retrofit some of the old buildings."
He feels one way to attract professionals downtown is to build a new building, and pointed to conceptual plans for developing King Street Station where the liquor store currently stands.
"There's a vacant piece of property being used as a parking lot right now," said Pattinson. "We should be actively trying to get a new building built."
Pattinson also continues to be concerned about the costs for the Credit Union CUPlex, particularly the operating costs, which he expects to be large.
"I've always said there would be an operating deficit," said Pattinson. "We've got to plan for that."
As far as his approach to municipal budgeting is concerned, Pattinson said he is "of the belief that small, well run government is better than big government, period."
He says there are basic needs the city should provide, but worries civic government is providing too much "at the cost of neglecting simple road maintenance, sidewalk repair, those kinds of things."
Pattinson expressed the view there should be as much or more weight placed on infrastructure needs as opposed to "luxuries," as he put it.
"We should be fixing up some of our existing assets," said Pattinson.
Thomas Schwab
The general manager of Super 8 Motel in North Battleford, Schwab has been an active volunteer in the community with Battleford 2000 Lions, the MS Society, Knights of Columbus and other organizations. Schwab has also previously run unsuccessfully for council.
If elected, Schwab promises he will be a councillor for the people.
"I want to be the people's voice," said Schwab, and represent "the people's issues."
He is running, said Schwab, because "apparently no one at city hall is accountable to any of our issues that we have here."
He points to the city digging sewer lines at Territorial Drive and "getting in trouble with the environmental protection people" as one example.
As well, he has issues with the tax system in place in the city. Schwab said the motel taxes went up from $33,000 in 2009 to $112,000 in 2010.
"That's kind of hard to swallow," he said.
He also takes issue with the city clamping down on graffiti victims, forcing them to spend money to clean up from vandalism. "How much money is it going to cost the homeowner?"
As for the talk about revitalizing the downtown, Schwab laments years of what he considers bad city decision-making.
"Years ago, they chased all the good businesses out of downtown like Fisher's Drug Store," said Schwab. He also pointed to the infamous 11th Avenue boarded-up building that is now infested with pigeons as another problem the city won't deal with.
"The city won't bulldoze it over," said Schwab.
"They're making silly laws and upping the taxes, and really doing nothing for the people," said Schwab of city hall, who pledges to turn things around if he's elected.
