The municipal election map is starting to fill out as the number of declarations of intent for a council seat have reached seven.
The field includes two current councillors and five members of the public. One candidate will be no surprise to residents – Alison Morse will be seeking her eighth term on council, having held the position since the island became a municipality in 1999.
“I’m running again because I still think I have a skillset to offer, and there’s a lot of things that are still on the go that haven’t been finished that I want to see finished,” says Morse, noting especially the Community Centre where construction got underway this year.
Morse, who has been successful in all seven municipal elections in Bowen’s history, says her focuses right now are “getting more diverse and affordable housing is definitely still a very big priority. I think the other priority… will be dealing with the new park at Cape Roger Curtis.”
The veteran councillor adds she’ll be deciding Thursday whether to also pursue an Islands Trust trustee position.
Someone who will be looking to retain her trustee position – and her spot on council as well – is Sue Ellen Fast. The two-term councillor has held both positions for the past eight years.
Five other nominations have been received, including a returning participant in Robin Burger who ran for council in 2018. Matthew McDonagh, Tim Wake, Judi Gedye and John Saunders have also filed their papers for a council run.
Saunders served for more than a decade as an RCMP officer before forming his own company, Enterprise Protection Associates. “My background and skillset offer a unique mix of private sector and public sector experiences that would serve Bowen well,” writes Saunders in his candidate statement.
“Those of us on Bowen must constantly balance competing pressures of population and economic growth that can keep our local businesses viable but which also challenge our housing and other resources, as well as the shared values of a small community that make Bowen so unique,” adds Saunders.
Gedye is aiming for both council and Islands Trust positions. “Often, I feel unrepresented and frustrated. I’ve witnessed Committees’ work and citizens’ letters or submissions given short shrift, and very little sharing of information before and after decisions. I believe we need to listen more, with respect and patience,” writes Gedye in her candidate statement.
“The next Council inherits considerable challenges to address the economic impacts of delayed maintenance and upgrades, and multiple capital projects. And while much is already decided, more clarity and understanding are essential to greater understanding and fairness. Personally, I am financially risk averse and prefer to have close control over my spending,” says Gedye.
Maureen Nicholson, current Bowen councillor, and Andrew Leonard remain the only two names on the ballot for the mayoral position as of Wednesday. Last election’s two-person race between Gary Ander and Melanie Mason was decided by just two votes in Ander’s favour.
Nominations for mayor and council are open for two more days, until the Friday, Sept. 9 deadline of 4 pm. More candidate information can be found on the Bowen Island Municipality elections website.
