Wednesday marks the final day for nominations to be accepted for the municipal election Oct. 24.
Last week Amber Nelson became the first nominated candidate for Battleford town council, and as of Monday afternoon, more names were added to the list of nominees.
First-term incumbent Susan McLean-Tady became the first member of council to file papers seeking re-election. Also filing nomination papers is former longtime Battleford councillor Gordon Yarde, who was also a candidate in the 2009 civic election.
Also on the ballot is Al Blais, a longtime town resident making his first run for council.
In speaking to the News-Optimist Monday, Blais, a former Saskatchewan Hospital director of personnel and acting executive director, who later worked for the Heartland Health Region for 10 years before retiring, said he intends to be the "taxpayer's watchdog" at town hall.
"I have some concerns about the direction the administration has taken the town," Blais said. He is running because he says he can "add integrity to the whole operation" and promote "the fair and equal use of tax dollars."
Blais cited concerns with zoning and the "perceived lack of fairness in the taxation system," noting the price of water has gone up. He also expressed concern with the newly-constructed four-lane highway through Battleford and with the over $10 million cost of the project, which he called "extravagant."
"I have nothing against progress but I feel that was over the top," said Blais, who says the dream of building a Gasoline Alley there is "over the top," as well. "I don't know if there would be business to go around," he said.
Three more candidates, Ames Leslie, Christopher Bajah and Doug Laing, also filed nomination papers Monday. Unless any of these candidates withdraw their names by the end of Thursday, there will be an election race for council in Battleford.
As of Monday, there was still no challenger to Councillor Derek Mahon in the mayor's race, though there was still time for one to emerge by the deadline of 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Incumbent Battleford mayor Chris Odishaw and Councillors Bill Halewich, Garth Walls and Cameron Duncan are not seeking re-election.
In North Battleford, a challenger had yet to file papers to run against incumbent Ian Hamilton in the mayor's race as of Monday. Meanwhile, incumbents Ron Crush, Don Buglas and Ray Fox are all running for re-election.
There is no word yet on whether incumbents Grace Lang, Trent Houk or Brad Pattinson will be joining them.
The first non-incumbent challenger to emerge in the North Battleford council race is Steven Cormons, a longtime North Battleford resident who filed his nomination papers last week.
"I have this passion for the community and I really want to see some changes," said Cormons, who is making his fourth run for council.
For Cormons, concerns about safety and the downtown core are front and centre among the issues he wants to see addressed.
"Crime, vandalism, the safe neighbourhood thing - those areas are very important," he said. He noted many people don't feel safe, and noted one storekeeper would lock her doors in the middle of the afternoon because she felt unsafe.
"When people feel uncomfortable, this isn't going to be a place that's going to attract people," said Cormons. He also points to the City's debt as another important issue.
Cormons says his background working in social services and corrections will be an asset to council in addressing the various issues, particularly those facing downtown. "I know the reasons why and I know some of the solutions and I've got lots of ideas," he said.
He describes himself as a "doer" who says he would look at all sides of an issue. "I will look at it from the other side and bring up those factors, too," said Cormons.
