Within the next 48 days, Estevan’s citizens who take their residency in this city seriously, will be deciding who they want representing them at city hall as well as at the South East Cornerstone Public School Division and Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division conference tables.
So far, the civic election process has taken a very low profile with incumbent Mayor Roy Ludwig indicating he’d like to continue on the job for another four years, while veteran councillor Dennis Moore has also tossed the fedora into the circle, stating he, too, wouldn’t mind another four-year run as one of the six councillors.
Other city council incumbents have not indicated their intentions as of Sept. 1, but it was understood that a few would be making their move soon, since nomination day isn’t that far away.
There was already one council seat vacated this spring when Lori Carr left council chambers to assume her new duties as Estevan’s MLA.
What this all means is that the search is on for some fresh faces to spark interest in civic affairs, or perhaps a few recycled images who might wish to take another stab at civic service.
These are not power position jobs, it’s not like our councillors and trustees get to hide some empire-building blocks behind a premier’s or a prime minister’s over-stocked administration stockpile of bodies. Our city councillors are pretty well exposed to the elements and to the direct critiques of the community who aren’t shy to share their opinions on the jobs they think are being done, or not being done, with the money they supply to do this work.
And while the mayor’s job comes with, at least, a somewhat decent wage attached, the same can’t be said for the councillors’ financial compensation. It is a well established fact that none take on the job for the money and there is hardly any prestige attached to being a local representative of the people.
So why do they do it?
We would like to think it’s for a sense of pride and a sense of community.
Why do any of us sit on local boards, committees or commissions?
We want to make our city better than what it was before. Egos don’t play into the picture, or, at least, they shouldn’t.
The same holds true for those who are willing to let their names stand for school board positions at the regional level. Estevan has the privilege of sending two representatives each to the Cornerstone and Holy Family school division tables and, again, the responsibilities are significant, especially with the cloud of “transformational change” hanging around on the nearby horizon, to lend an air of speculation to those four local school board portfolios.
On the public school board front, Estevan’s Pam Currie has declared an interest in a repeat, while the other Estevan incumbent Janet Foord, facing a move to another city, will be vacating her seat.
On the Holy Family front, incumbents Bev Hickie and Karen Melle have stated they will run again, but would most definitely welcome a challenge since they both feel that new faces and ideas should be welcomed, not beaten back.
We echo that sentiment.
A few new faces on any council or board should always be welcomed, as long as they bring a sincere mandate to the table, which includes a desire to serve the community, knowing full well they will be criticized by some while being encouraged by others.
It’s a little crazy, we know, but somehow this democratic process continues to pull out the best in us and some of the best within our community. That’s what makes the election process exciting.
