Election date moved to August (SPAL)

By Tim FitzgeraldMorning Star StaffJul 12 2006 http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/
Spallumcheen’s byelection to fill its three vacant council seats is set for Aug. 26. The election was originally slated for July 29 and was intended to fill the seats left by Murray Blackwell and Dave Brew. Blackwell died in Vancouver April 5 while Brew resigned shortly after due to health concerns. However, the sudden resignation of Coun. Terry Frame on June 26, three days after the nomination process closed to fill the vacant seats, forced the Ministry of Community Services to find a solution to the Spallumcheen election dilemma. Now all three seats will be up for grabs Aug. 26, saving the municipality the hassle and cost of running a separate byelection.
Mayor Will Hansma said he was pleased with the outcome. “I think it’s a good decision. It eliminates the $10,000 cost of holding a separate byelection and allows everyone a fair opportunity to be part of the democratic process,” said Hansma. While all three seats will be filled on the Aug. 26 election, voters will have two decisions to make. The original five candidates who filed for the July 29 election will vie for two of the three seats. Myrna Christianson, Suzanne Blackwell, Carolyn Farris, Dennis Sawchuck and Todd York will make up the first portion of the ballot. The seat left behind by Frame’s resignation will require a second vote. The nomination process to fill the third seat is underway and papers must be filed by July 21 at 4 p.m. to be eligible for the election. Candidates will then have until July 28 at 4 p.m. to remove their name from the ballot. Advanced polling runs Aug. 16 and 23 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Aug. 26 election also runs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. All nomination papers and voting takes place at the Spallumcheen municipal office. Hansma said the only drawback to the outcome is that the five original candidates filing for the two vacant seats can’t put their name up for Frame’s seat. The mayor said he’s hoping more people will come forward and let their name stand and looks forward to having a full line-up in the fall. “It’s been a little hectic here, that’s for sure. It’s made it a lot of work for everybody said Hansma, noting that issues like it its zoning bylaw review have been delayed. Hansma said he is going to wait until after the election before any committee of the whole meetings are scheduled. “It’s a part-time job that’s like full-time,” he laughed.