SACKVILLE, N.B. — With a spring election just around the corner, several members of Sackville town council have announced their intentions as to whether they will throw their hat in the ring for another term in municipal politics.
Veteran councillor Joyce O’Neil, who has served four consecutive terms on council, much of that time as deputy mayor, said she will be stepping down when the election comes around this May.
“I will not be running again,” said O’Neil. “After 16 years, I’ve had more than enough.”
O’Neil said she feels it’s time to get out of the political arena – and while she will miss the lively discussions and debate, she feels she hasn’t been on the same page as other members of the current council for several years.
At 84, she also finds it a challenge to keep up with some of the latest technology, such as moving toward paperless council meetings and keeping up to date on some issues through the use of laptops or smart phones.
“I think it’s time for me to get out,” she said.
O’Neil said she’ll keep herself busy, as a member of the Sackville Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and heading up the local ukulele group, but admits she was glad to have had the opportunity to see other parts of the country for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conferences and network with other councillors about important issues.
“It’s been a good ride but it’s been long enough.”
Ron Aiken, Sackville’s current deputy mayor, said he will be offering again for the 2020 election, but this time he intends to run for the mayor’s seat.
“I came to this decision because I wanted to be part of the town moving forward over the next few years and because of the experience I've gained serving as deputy mayor for the last three years,” said Aiken.
He points out there will be several serious challenges facing the town over the coming few years, not the least among which are “the province's intentions on municipal reform, keeping our hospital fully functional, and lobbying the province for a larger share of the tax dollars collected in Sackville.”
“I think I have the experience both on council and in other roles to effectively deal with these challenges,” said Aiken.
Mayor John Higham announced earlier this month he plans to step down from the position in May, leaving the role vacant. So far, no one else has come forward to say they will throw their hat in the ring for the mayor’s seat.
But Allison Butcher, Bill Evans and Shawn Mesheau have all confirmed they will be seeking re-election as town councilors.
“When I ran for election four years ago, it was because I felt it was time to give back to a community that had given me so much,” said Butcher, who is serving her first term on council.
Butcher said she wanted her two daughters to see that community involvement is a two-way street – that giving back is important. She still feels that way and said she has really enjoyed getting to know the ins and outs of municipal governance.
“Although there have been challenging times over the last almost four years, it has been a privilege to be able to be a part of this group who works towards bettering our community and preserving what makes it so special,” she said.
Butcher said she’s pleased with the adjustments council has made to ensure its processes are more transparent and would like to see that continue.
“The environment is also a big concern,” she said. “I am so proud of the steps our youth have taken to make us accountable and am pleased with the steps we are taking to effect change in our community and beyond. I would like to see us continue to make changes and effect policy changes that will mitigate climate change.”
Evans is also pleased with progress on that end. The two-term councillor, who helped draft the motion last year to declare a climate crisis in Sackville and to establish a Mayor’s Roundtable on Climate Change, said he hopes council can continue on that momentum, which began as a result of the climate strikes initiated by local youth last March.
“I think we have an obligation to them to do something,” said Evans.
Evans, a strong believer in civic responsibility and public service, said he thinks it’s important for residents to step up to the plate if they feel they can be an effective councillor. So if voters think he has put in the effort necessary to be an informed and engaged member of council over the past eight years, then he hopes they will re-elect him.
“It’s a job and I take it seriously,” he said.
Evans said it’s important to be able to work with others and to keep discussions civil, since the job of council as a whole is to work in the best interests of the constituents, not just for a small group.
“Even though what you end up voting for may not be what you think is best . . . you have to find a way to build consensus in doing the best job you can do.”
Mesheau, who was elected to council in a byelection in December 2018, said he does have plans to re-offer in the May municipal election.
“My platform remains mostly unchanged from 13 months ago,” said Mesheau of his campaign promises for a balanced approach, needs over wants, diverse economy, and focus on our diversity as a community.
Some of his new priorities, he said, include “nurturing existing businesses to maintain their presence and growth in Sackville, and creating a more welcoming environment that will encourage citizen engagement with their questions and input and acting on those.”
Mesheau, who has also served three previous terms on Sackville town council, said his hope is to get back to the “typical mandate” of a town council, which would focus on what affects everyone living, working and playing here each and every day. For example, the maintaining of provincial services like the hospital and designated highways, budgeting and actioning the development of Exit 506 with or without provincial assistance, as well as infrastructure improvements to the industrial park.
Councillors Andrew Black, Bruce Phinney and Mike Tower have yet to declare their intentions for the upcoming election.
Individuals wishing to become a candidate can download the appropriate nomination papers and information from the Elections NB website. Alternatively, they can pick up a nomination kit at a returning office when they open to the public on Monday, March 23. The deadline for filing nomination papers is Thursday, April 9.
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