Snow Lake, The Pas and Thompson all have new mayors following municipal elections on Oct. 24.
Peter Roberts took first spot in the mayoral vote in Snow Lake, earning 70 per cent of the vote with 285 total votes. Jodie Wilson finished second with 113 votes, while Marian Grajciar received nine votes.
All spots on Snow Lake town council were determined by acclamation, with six nominees, Shelley Chrapun, Tom Fleming, Sherri Hill, Bill Pleasance, Penny Roberts and Andrew Smith, earning seats.
Voters chose to allow retail cannabis stores to operate in the community with a plebiscite on the ballot, with 256 voters for and 147 voters against.
Thompson elected the community’s first female mayor. Colleen Smook earned 1,223 votes, 264 more than second-place finisher Ron Matechuk. Incumbent mayor Dennis Fenske, who served as mayor since 2010, did not run for reelection.
Les Ellsworth, Kathy Valentino, Jeff Fountain, Brian Lundmark, Earl Colbourne, Duncan Wong and Judy Kolada each earned spots on Thompson city council.
Two candidates, Chiew Chong and Andre Proulx, were tied for the final spot on the city’s nine member council. The tie could lead to a byelection for the seat. According to the Thompson Citizen, the provincial Municipal Councils and School Boards Elections Act states that two or more candidates for the same office cannot be declared elected if the candidates are tied in the voting. A senior election official must declare the spot vacant, unless a judicial recount is filed.
Chong and Proulx have until Nov. 7 to file for a judicial recount. If the vote remains tied, a byelection would be required.
In The Pas, former mayor Herb Jaques earned back his old seat, winning 40 per cent of the vote in a four candidate field. Incumbent mayor Jim Scott finished last in the polls, receiving 230 votes out of 1,506 cast.
Only one of six incumbents on The Pas town council, Chad Zolinski, was voted back in. Newcomers Carrie Atkinson, Larry Forster, Trevor Lane, Andre Murphy and Bill Ward will join him for the next term.
The LUD of Cranberry Portage saw three committee seats with the RM of Kelsey filled through acclamation. Gordon Fidierchuk, Darrell Murray and Michael Wesner will sit with the RM and represent the community.
Peter Bieker was named councillor of Ward V, and will represent the southern portion of Cranberry Portage with the RM of Kelsey, earning 47 votes. The north side of Cranberry Portage will be governed by Larry Johnson, who was named Ward VI councillor by acclamation.
Rod Berezowecki remains the reeve of the RM of Kelsey, with no challengers for the seat. Wayne Anderson will keep his Ward I seat, representing the Ralls Island region east of The Pas, earning 62 votes to challenger Jarret Berezowecki’s 47. Neil Scott was acclaimed as Ward II councillor for the north Carrot River Valley region, while incumbent Bruce McLean won a three-way race to remain Ward III councillor, covering the south Carrot River Valley area south of The Pas.
Jim Berscheid will keep his spot as Ward IV councillor. He defeated Kelvin Dionne by 29 votes. Berscheid’s area includes Big Eddy, Umpherville and Wanless.
Elsewhere in the north, Michael Spence will remain the mayor of Churchill. The community’s four member council will consist of Verna Flett, Joanne Stover, Bill Dingwall and Heather Botelho. Ervin Bighetty won the election to become the mayor of Leaf Rapids, topping Geraldine Cockerill by four votes. Gary Trewin, Keith Anderson, Evangeline Moose and Cecil Sanderson will sit on the town’s council. Jim Shortt was unopposed for Lynn Lake’s mayorship, while council will consist of David Campbell, Gabriel Moose, Marie Lewis and Trevor Kruzer. Dwayne Forman will stay as Gillam’s mayor through acclamation. Jayson Oliver, Danny Van Alstyne, Sherri Herrera and John McDonald were elected to Gillam council, with Lucas Turnbull coming two votes short of tying McDonald for the final spot.
