City of North Battleford has three mayoral candidates and 13 councillor candidates. Town of Battleford has one acclaimed mayor and eight council candidates. (photo/ City of North Battleford,Town of Battleford , Mark Coleman and Clayton Lazar)

By battlefordsNOW staff

2024 MUNICIPAL ELECTION

Candidates for the Battlefords 2024 municipal election

Nov 8, 2024 | 4:55 PM

As the municipal election campaign gains momentum, the Battlefords are entering the final weeks leading up to the vote on Nov.13. Here’s a list of potential candidates for mayor and council who are competing for a seat in office.

City of North Battleford

According to the City, over 600 ballots have been submitted during the first two days of the advance polling period.The last day of early voting will be on Nov. 9.

Mayoral candidates

Wayne Semaganis (Baptiste) (photo/ City of North Battleford)

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Wayne Semaganis (Baptiste) – A former Chief of Little Pine First Nation, he aims to address key issues like health, education, public safety, and taxation while promoting positivity and inclusivity, with a vision for revitalizing North Battleford as a regional business hub.

Kelli Hawtin (photo/ City of North Battleford)

Kelli Hawtin—She has served as an elected Councillor since 2014. Her experience and leadership aim to unite people for future growth and advocate for solutions to address social issues in the community. She is dedicated to fostering economic and population growth, promoting sustainable and smart solutions, and improving the overall quality of life.

Terry (Terence) caldwell (City of North Battleford)

Terry (Terence) Caldwell – President of Empress Furniture and Decor, and Empress Carpet One. He is also the former president of the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce. He wants to focus on revitalizing local businesses to build a foundation for future prosperity. Stresses the importance of addressing and reducing youth crime as well as strengthening Indigenous communities.

Councillor candidates

Alvin Baptiste (photo/ City of North Battleford)

Alvin Baptiste – Custodian of cultural knowledge and indigenous history who built a community of understanding and appreciation. Stresses the importance of addressing social issues like poverty, addictions and homelessness in the community. He also wants to create more affordable housing so new and existing residents can own homes.

Alan Wiese (photo/ City of North Battleford)

Alan Wiese – The owner of Just Giver Construction. One of his focuses is to tackle the ongoing issue of homelessness, enhancing the city’s appeal while providing them a second chance to contribute to the community. He also desires to make the city desirable for younger generations to call home.

Bill (Thomas) Ironstand (photo/ City of North Battleford)

Bill (Thomas) Ironstand – As he seeks his second term, he aims to be the voice to improve the taxation system for local businesses and homeowners to drive growth. He also aims to work on stamping out the ‘Crime Town’ stigma to attract companies to invest.

Donald Meriam (photo/ City of North Battleford)

Donald Meriam – A two-spirited activist, recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Platinum Jubilee medal and official UNICEF Canada Youth Advocate. He aims to focus on innovative solutions for driving economic growth while pledging to address social issues relating to racism, crime, and LGBTQ2S rights.

Dennis Mercer (photo/City of North Battleford)

Dennis Mercer – A long-time educator who now teaches at John Paul II Collegiate. He aims to help the city become a promising place for young people and is committed to advocating for people who struggle or feel ‘left out.’

Dan Suberlak (photo/ City of North Battleford)

Dan Suberlak – A retired City employee with 32 years of experience in various roles, including working with the park department and addressing water issues. One of his goals is to address ageing infrastructures with the support of government grants.

Darryl Williams (photo/City of North Battleford)

Darryl Williams – Local businessman for 40 years. Highlighted the need for more RCMP and Community Safety Officers to ensure residents feel safe walking around the city. Has spent years as an active support person with addiction services, working with those in need of support.

Greg (Gregory) Lightfoot (photo/ City of North Battleford)

Greg (Gregory) Lightfoot – He owns Hein Financial Group. He has been on the council for 12 years and is now seeking his fourth term. His focus is on financial accountability, keeping taxes low while maintaining a balance between growth and infrastructure replacement.

Kent Lindgren (photo/ City of North Battleford)

Kent Lindgren – A two-time councillor now seeking a third term. He is committed to finding creative solutions to tackling ongoing social issues. He stated that once the community addresses the reasons behind the challenge, it is possible to make the transformative changes needed.

Mercy George (photo/ City of North Battleford)

Mercy George – The owner of Dejma’s Curry House, she is committed to making the city safer and more inclusive. She also wants to be a voice for those often overlooked in the community.

Ross MacAngus (photo/City of North Battleford)

Ross MacAngus—With 20 years of experience serving the community, he is seeking his second term and will focus on maintaining a safe and clean environment for families.

Rodney Fedler (photo/ City of North Battleford)

Rodney Fedler – The former owner of Fedler Electric, with 36 years of experience in the trade, his goal is to help the city secure the best prices for infrastructure project bidding while fostering commercial growth.

Warren Williams (photo/ city of North Battleford)

Warren Williams – President of the Board of Directors for North Battleford Golf and Country Club and Director of the Rotary Club. If elected, he is focused on advocating for the citizens to address their concerns and find productive solutions for serious social issues.

Voting is scheduled for Nov. 13 at the Access Communication Centre.

Town of Battleford

Acclaimed Mayor – Ames Leslie

Ames Leslie (photo/ Town of Battleford)

Looking ahead to the next term, Leslie wants to see how the new councils can adapt to the changing economic landscape as the province emerges from high interest rates.He also plans to enhance the town’s historic value and reinvent Battleford as the ‘historic town of Battleford’ to foster greater local tourism growth.

Councillor candidates

Mark Coleman (photo/ Mark Coleman)

Mark Coleman– A teacher at Battleford Central School, believes his social responsibility as a young person motivated him to step up. If elected, he hopes to bring in more recreational opportunities and focus on affordability.

David George (photo/ Town of Battleford)

David George – With almost two decades of experience on the council table, this time, he aims to focus on fiscal responsibility and driving continued growth while keeping recreation facilities up to good standards.

Doug Laing (photo/ Town of Battleford)

Doug Laing – He is running for a fourth term. He has prioritized advocating for a new fire hall to meet the increasing service demand. He also aims to strengthen collaboration with the provincial government to enhance the Battlefords District Care Centre.

Clayton Lazar (photo/ Clayton Lazar)

Clayton Lazar – A 15-year paramedic and firefighter with experience as a public servant, aims to improve commercial regulations and policies and create a safer and more secure community to attract business investments.

Judy Pruden (photo/ Town of Battleford)

Judy Pruden– She was first elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020 and is now seeking her third term. She will focus on improving parks and infrastructure while minimizing taxes and maintaining high-quality services like snow removal.

Kevin Russell (photo/ Town of Battleford)

Kevin Russell– As he is seeking his third term, he hopes to continue working on community projects, such as a new fire hall and arena. He also wants to keep Battleford safe, affordable, and prosperous.

Shelley Boutin-Gervais (photo/ Town of Battleford)

Shelley Boutin-Gervais – As she seeks a fourth term, she aims to build on amenities, advocate for the police services ,and keep taxes to a minimum.

Last but not least, Randall Cote and Josh Pernala are also this year’s councillor candidates. However, they have yet to make an official statement about their focus. battlefordsNOW has already contacted them, but they have yet to respond.

Voting is scheduled for Nov. 13 at the Alex Dillabough Centre-Main Hall.

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com