Candidates coming forward for Prince Rupert and Port Edward municipal elections

There are now four candidates who have expressed their intention to fill the Mayor’s seat in Prince Rupert.

There are now four candidates who have filed their name to fill the Mayor’s seat in Prince Rupert.

The nomination period opened on Sept. 30 and, as of Tuesday, Oct. 7 four mayoral candidates had filed their nomination papers: Lee Brain, Antonio (Tony) Briglio, Jack Mussallem and Sheila Gordon-Payne.

Five Rupertites had put their name in for a councillor seat as of the beginning of the week. Among those running are current-councillors Anna Ashley, Barry Cunningham Gina Garon and Nelson Kinney while challengers Blair Mirau, Ray Pedersen have filed their papers, along with Wade Neish, who ran in the 2014 by-election.

Three people filed their papers in hopes of filling a seat on the Prince Rupert School District board of education by Monday, including current trustees Bart Kuntz and Terri-Lynn Huddlestone and newcomers James Horne and Kimberly Williams.

The list of names that will make up Port Edward’s 2014 municipal election ballot is starting to take form as well. Many of the names will be familiar as most of the individuals currently sitting on council have confirmed they will be running again.

This includes Coun. Christine McKenzie, who said she had been approached by a number of Port Edward residents who encouraged her to run for office again.

“I enjoy the input and I love my community. I like to be on hand to help,” said McKenzie.

Murray Kristoff is also planning to seek reelection for a councillor seat.

“I want to see the continuation of the good relationship the current council has with the LNG proponents in the area, and worked toward that goal of having an LNG terminal here,” explained Kristoff.

Coun. Dan Franzen also hopes to continue with the work currently being undertaken by council.

“I’d like to see a lot of the projects that I’ve helped get started get finished, and hopefully make Port Edward more prosperous in the near future. There’s so much more to do here that I just feel we need to carry on with what we’re doing. We have a good group right now,” he said.

As of Monday, both Port Edward Mayor Dave MacDonald and Coun. Knut Bjorndal had handed in their nomination papers, along with McKenzie.

The Northern View