Simons loses town council, school board seats Incumbent Peter Simons was a double loser Monday night as he not only lost his seat on Stettler town council, but also his trustee position on the Clearview school board. Simons finished last among 11 candidates vying for six council seats. He was one of two council incumbents who were defeated. The other was Steven Wildeboer, who finished seventh with 469 votes — 64 votes back of incumbent Darcy Bachman (533). Malcolm Fischer (905) and Al Campbell (740) were also re-elected, and the new councillors are Will Brown (609), Karen Sernecky (575) and Sean Nolls (537). Among those finishing out of the elected mix were Wayne Tebbe (329), James (Jim) Smith (323) and Zachary Jackson (309).
Simons collected 307 votes in his bid for re-election. The town reported near midnight Monday that 1,178 people (or 26.15 per cent of eligible voters) cast a ballot. Dick Richards was uncontested and remains mayor for the next four years. School board Simons also placed last among three candidates bidding for two Stettler trustee seats with the Clearview School Division. Those seats went to newcomers Staci Gerlitz (748) and Dave Goodwin (585). Simons managed 422 votes. School board incumbent Rhonda Maginn also lost her trustee seat, falling to John Schofer in Ward 4 (Botha, Gadsby, Halkirk and Byemoor). Schofer, a former school board trustee, picked up
207 votes, while Maginn garnered 130. Although he won a school board seat, Schofer failed in his bid to become a County of Stettler councillor. In a three-way race in Ward 1, he finished third behind champion Les Stulberg and defeated incumbent Lawrence Wilkie. School board incumbent Cheri Neitz hung on to her Erskine-Donalda trustee seat, as she beat Patricia Standage 289131. Yvette Cassidy, Karen Holloway and chairman Ken Checkel were earlier acclaimed as Clearview trustees. County of Stettler Three incumbents — Wilkie, Blake Chapman and Terry Schiffner — lost their seats at the council table. Stulberg regained the Byemoor-
Endiang seat he lost to Wilkie in 2010. The scoreline Monday was: Stulberg, 129; Wilkie, 101; and Schofer, 40. Dave Grover, a former county councillor, is also back on council after unseating Schiffner in the Big Valley ward. Grover won by 70 votes (129-59). Newcomer Ernie Gendre posted an 84vote victory in the Stettler ward (173-89) over Chapman, who was the incumbent. Gendre’s brother, Joe, retained his Erskine-Buffalo Lake seat, topping Guy Neitz by 15 votes (162-147). In the Botha-Gadsby ward, incumbent Greggory Jackson scored a 45-vote victory over former councillor Vic Carey (108-63). Reeve Wayne Nixon (Donalda-Red Willow) and Coun. James Nibourg (Erskine South-Warden) were acclaimed as county councillors.
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Change name of the game Trio of newcomers elected to town council R ICHARD F ROESE Independent reporter
Photos by RICHARD FROESE/Independent reporter
HAPPY CAMPERS — Sean Nolls, elected to the Stettler town council, and new Clearview School Division trustee Staci Gerlitz were all smiles after posting victories in Monday’s municipal and school board elections.
Three new faces on school board RICHARD FROESE Independent reporter Three new trustees in the Stettler region were elected to Clearview School Division board in elections Monday. Staci Gerlitz and Dave Goodwin captured the two seats in the Stettler ward, while incumbent Peter Simons was defeated. “I’m mostly excited and honoured to be on board,”
said Gerlitz, 26, who topped the polls with 748 votes. Goodwin garnered 585 votes, while Simons collected 422. “I’m pretty well known in the community and support was amazing,” said Gerlitz, a graduate of Stettler Outreach School. “I’m going to do my best to do everybody proud.” Finishing second was “a good win” for the former school teacher. “The community forum gave me an opportunity to express my views and that apparently agreed with the people,” Goodwin said.
For the Erskine –Donalda ward, incumbent Cheri Neitz held on to her seat as she outcounted Patricia Standage 289-131. After a three-year absence, John Schofer was elected in Byemoor-BothaGadsby when he unseated incumbent Rhonda Maginn 207-130. Three wards were determined last month by acclamation: Yvette Cassidy (Ward 2: Big Valley and area), Karen Holloway (Ward 5: Castor and area, as well as Halkirk east) and Ken Checkel (Ward 6: Coronation and area, as well
as Brownfield). All three are incumbent trustees. “Welcome to the new and returning trustees,” said Checkel, who chairs the board. “I’m looking forward to a great year with the board. “I would also like to thank the outgoing trustees for their years of service and dedication to the board.” That also included Patty Dittrick, who served the Stettler ward for 12 years and decided to end her service this year. Clearview stages its organizational meeting next Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Town of Stettler voters re-elected three incumbent councillors and three newcomers in the municipal election Monday. Malcolm Fischer topped the polls for the second successive election, with 905 votes, while Al Campbell received 740 and incumbent Darcy Bachman secured the final seat with 533. Will Brown led the way for newcomers with 609 votes, followed by Karen Sernecky with 575 and Sean Nolls with 537. New faces on council expressed satisfaction with their victories. “I’m very excited to serve our community and thank the voters for their faith they put in me,” said Brown, 39, the lead pastor of Stettler Community Church. Since he fell short in his bid for mayor in the 2010 election, Brown has served on town committees, such as treasurer of the library board, along with beautification, heritage and police advisory committees. “I believe voters appreciate my commitment to the community,” he said. Brown believes that a council with half newcomers and incumbents will be healthy. “I’m very excited for the opportunity to serve on council — I’m just so overwhelmed,” said Sernecky, 32, and a mother. “I can’t wait to show people what I can do. I think people voted for me because they saw I’m dedicated to the town.” As a business owner, Nolls, 35, said he’s also eager to serve the town. “I’m not sure what helped me get elected, maybe because I’m a public figure on a day-day-to day basis, and it’s nice to see a new familiar face,” said Nolls, who runs Sean’s No Frills. He acknowledged that Brown was a strong candidate for councillor. “Will is a man of the people for who he is and what he does in the community,” Nolls said. Out of contention, incumbent Steven Wildeboer managed 469, followed by Wayne Tebbe (329), James (Jim) Smith (323), Zachary Jackson (309) and incumbent Peter Simons (307). Simons was doubly defeated when he also finished last in a three-way race for two Stettler seats on the Clearview School Division. The show goes on with a new slate for the next four years. “It’s exciting to have half of council with new faces with fresh ideas on council with experienced incumbents,” said Mayor Dick Richards, who was acclaimed as mayor, a post he has held for the past four years. Richards welcomes the new council with what he hopes is a drive to continue to move the town forward. “I personally congratulated all the winners and I look forward to working with them,” Richards said. “I also thanked Peter and Steve for their dedicated service on council.” Voter turnout was about 26.15 per cent, down from 29.5 per cent in the 2010 election which included a race for mayor. Town council stages its organizational meeting next Friday (Nov. 1) at noon.
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