With the 2017 municipal election less than a year away, the majority of councillors are remaining tight-lipped about whether they plan to seek another term.
Coun. Gilbert Wall, who sat on council for two terms, is the only councillor who has publicly stated that he does not intend to run again in 2017.
鈥淎t present, I do not intend to run again for a council seat. That being said there are circumstances that would cause me to reconsider,鈥� wrote Wall.
鈥淭he most notable would be some change in the relationship between Parks Canada and the municipality regarding land use planning and development. So much of what we will be challenged with in the future will depend on our ability to construct a community plan. It is the most basic of functions in most municipalities.鈥�
Mayor Richard Ireland, who was first elected mayor in 2001 and is the only mayor Jasper has ever had, said he will wait until late next summer before making a decision.
鈥淭he decision whether to seek re-election is not a decision to be made lightly or early. Much can change both personally and in the life of the community between now and nomination day next September. 聽My consistent practice has been to wait until late summer of an election year to consider whether to seek or accept a nomination,鈥� wrote Ireland.
Ireland has served nine terms since he was first elected chair of the Jasper town committee in 1989. In 2001 he was elected mayor when Jasper became a specialized municipality.
While he waits to make a decision, Ireland said there are still plenty of issues he would like to tackle with council as it approaches the end of its mandate. The next municipal election is Oct. 16, 2017.
鈥淎t the provincial level, council will continue to focus on having tourism-based communities recognized as deserving of alternative revenue tools necessary to more equitably distribute the burden of providing services and infrastructure for our visitor population; a burden which currently falls too heavily on residential and commercial tax-payers,鈥� wrote Ireland.
鈥淎t the federal level, there will be a continuing need to address issues including the transfer of jurisdictional authority over land use planning and development; the cap on commercial development; land rent and the release of lands for residential housing.鈥�
While there鈥檚 no obligation for councillors to announce their intentions this early, four incumbent councillors in Banff have already confirmed they intend to run in next year鈥檚 election.
Coun. Rico Damota, who has served on council since 2007, said it鈥檚 been an honour serving the community, but it鈥檚 too early to make a decision.
鈥淚 have served with many others聽whom at this point in the past were decided either way, and then changed their minds due to聽conflicting circumstances closer to election time,鈥� wrote Damota.
鈥淭he gravity of the decision has聽more weight with a聽four-year cycle聽than in the past聽with聽three-year terms.鈥�
Coun. Helen Kelleher-Empey echoed his comments.
鈥淚t has been a great honour as first time councillor to serve the Jasper community and I have really enjoyed my term thus far. However it is far too early for me to formulate a decision on what the following year will bring to my family life and career and will decide closer to the date,鈥� wrote Kelleher-Empey.
Coun. Dwain Wacko and Coun. Brian Nesbitt both said they were undecided.
Coun. Vonna Arsenault did not respond to a request for comment.
People who want to run for council must have at least five signatures from eligible voters on nomination day (Sept. 18, 2017) and submit their paperwork to the returning officer between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., according to the Local Authorities Election Act.
Paul Clarke
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