There will be no election for either town or school board positions in Bashaw this time around.
All five council spots were awarded by acclamation, with Penny Shantz returning to the mayor’s chair for another term while Rosella Peterman, Darren Pearson and Lynn Schultz also staying put.
With Bryan Gust stepping aside after several years on council, that means there is one new member of council and that is Rob McDonald.
McDonald is returning to a post he left in the last election in 2013 after winning a first term in 2007 and then being re-elected in 2010.
“I stepped off council because we had three kids and things were really busy at that time,” McDonald said, in explaining his reason for making a return to municipal politics.
“Four years later, life is somewhat easier with fewer people at home and more time for things.”
He stated the town continues to operate fairly smoothly and hopes to help keep it that way, while also maintaining an even keel when it comes to decision making.
“We just need to keep doing the way we have been and being smart about things, plus trying to stay out of controversy,” McDonald added.
He believes the biggest issue facing council remains the regional water line, though admitted there isn’t much the town can do about it.
“We need to pressure the province to put money in to help offset the horrific water rates residents are facing,” he stated.
“Bashaw was pressured into joining the water commission from the start, and while I think it’s a good idea, I don’t think we needed it as we had a good and safe supply.”
McDonald added he feels the province is obligated to provide small communities with more assistance on cost pressures for essentials such as water, especially when it decides to hand out cash to big cities for light rail transit to ease the cost for people to take a ride.
McDonald will be sworn in, along with the returning members, at council’s meeting on Oct. 19.
School trustees
Half of the eight trustee positions up for grabs in the Battle River School Division (BRSD) have been acclaimed and that includes incumbent Kendall Severson, representing Bashaw and Camrose County South. Incumbent Lori Skori in Flagstaff County East was the only other returning trustee to win by acclamation, while new trustees Jeffrey Kimball in Flagstaff County West and Lyle Albrecht in Beaver County East were also acclaimed.
There will also be new trustees elected in Beaver County West with Ruth Baerg, Neil Hardy and Zsuzsanna Hemperger running for one spot and in Camrose County North where one seat will go to either Karen Belich, John Girvan or Penny Martin.
The other two seats are in the City of Camrose with incumbent Norm Erickson facing a challenge from Natalie Severson and Valerie Sims.
