This was one of the points that all four candidates agreed on at the forum last week.
Written by Pam Jones, Editor
So now it’s countdown time with the election next Monday (22nd) and time to make your decisions. Really you have 3 decisions to make: 1) Will you bother to go and vote; 2) Who will get your vote for Mayor; and 3) Your choice for Councillor.
One good feature to consider about a by-election is that you get to test drive your choices for only one year until the 2017 election – you don’t get that very often.
Back to the forum….
The rest of the fourteen questions were answered in systematic order and failed to produce anything of any great revelation. Questions were submitted on paper, presented to the candidates and answered. There was no allowance at all for any discussion, clarification of their answers or sub-questions from the floor.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines Forum as: A meeting or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged. “Exchanged” being the operative word – I suggest ’forum’ was a misnomer for this meeting.
Having said that, from the angle of being kept on point, the moderator did a good job of keeping things moving forward and it appeared to be favourable that the moderator was from Okotoks and completely unbiased as well as objective.
The general feeling that I left with was that all four candidates are decent politicians in the manner of conduct and made the usual promises of consulting with the residents on matters concerning them and all had a desire to be transparent.
Some moments were light-hearted, like two of the answers to the apparent dandelion problem. Make wine or let them grow and save the bees were suggestions.
First priorities from the candidates are listed below.
Glen Fagan – Candidate for Mayor – Build a team with council.
Les Miller – Candidate for Mayor – Build communication to and from the community. Administration needs to be told what residents want.
David Geske – Candidate for Council – Communication, everything in context and promote the town for tourists and Economic Development.
Brian Marconi – Candidate for Council – Develop a strategy to make everyone happy.
Several casual meetings have taken place around town where an exchange of ideas has taken place; candidates have gone door-to-door; signs are everywhere and of course social media has been bombarded with both positive and negative comments (some even being removed).
So the countdown is on and you, the residents, need to make your choices.
As I don’t live in Black Diamond, I’m not faced with having to make a decision on this one. I do however express my cautions to you that if you don’t bother to vote then the minority of followers that each candidate has will win the day and your choice will be removed from you.
Just over 200 voters came out to the Advance Poll – If you care about your town – get out and vote next Monday at the Town Office, Main Floor, from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm.
For more information on each of the candidates, visit: http://www.town.blackdiamond.ab.ca/325/Your-Candidates