There are 17 candidates juggling for the seven positions on Whitewater Region Township council.
When voting begins on Oct. 20, with the final day a week later, the positions in this township to fill are one mayor, one reeve and five councillors.
In the final days, a candidate with no municipal experience jumped from the councillor slot into the mayor’s race, bumping that race up to four candidates. Those vying for the mayor’s chair are incumbent Jim Labow, current councillor Joey Trimm, former township roads superintendent Hal Johnson and Cobden businessman Doug Shields (who jumped up to the mayoral race after having filed papers to run as a councillor).
Businessman Terry Millar tossed his hat into the reeve’s ring on the final day. He will be going up against long-time politician Don Rathwell.
The deputy-mayor’s position was alleviated for this election and a councillor’s position added. Current deputy-mayor Izett McBride had already stated his intention of not running in this election, due to having a bucket list to fulfill with wife Gail.
Those seeking to fill one of the five councillor seats are, in alphabetical order, Donald E. Broome, Donna Burns, John Felix Cull, Allen Dick (incumbent), Charlene Jackson, Joe Kowalski, Dave Mackay, Daryl McLaughlin (incumbent), Chris Olmstead, Cathy Regier (incumbent) and Howard Winters.
There will also be an election for Renfrew County District School Board Trustee, as incumbent Dave Shields will go against newcomer James Dobson.
Anne Haley (Smith) was acclaimed as the trustee for the Renfrew County Catholic District School Board.
Whitewaternews.ca has provided each council candidate with a list of questions, many provided by residents, to be answered. The editor was going to run the candidates answers in two editions. However, that has now been changed, and all profiles will run in the Oct. 2 edition.
An all-candidates meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 9 starting at 7 p.m. at the Westmeath hall, which is upstairs at the arena.
As of Wednesday evening, Sept. 17, it’s the only scheduled all-candidates meeting for this township.
