The Grey Highlands Municipal League (GHML) will host the first candidates night this week.
The organization is hosting a meet the candidates evening at Justin’s Oven in Kimberley on Wednesday, August 24 at 7 p.m.
The GHML formed this year in an effort to encourage more candidates to seek office in Grey Highlands. When the nomination period closed on Friday, August 19, Grey Highlands had set a record for the most candidates running for council in its history.
“A few months ago, we set out with an ambitious goal: to dramatically increase public participation in this year's local election in Grey Highlands. People said we couldn't do it,” League founder Dave Meslin said in an email announcing the meet-and-greet with the candidates. “I'm thrilled to announce that Grey Highlands not only has the highest number of candidates in the entire county but that we've also broken the record for the most candidates since Grey Highlands was created two decades ago.”
Grey Highlands has 23 candidates for council and a further eight candidates for the local school board positions.
The candidates are:
Mayor (one to be elected):
Paul McQueen, Danielle Valiquette and Don Alp.
Deputy Mayor (on to be elected):
Dane Nielsen, Stephen (Steve) Patrick Maloney and Melanie Ann Seeley
Council (five to be elected):
Lynn Silverton, Dan Wickens, Tom Allwood, Paul Allen, Joel Loughead, Gary Franklin, Brian McCulloch, Reid Dennison, Emmett Ferguson, Joe Van der Vechte, Joyce Hall, Nadia Dubyk, Jessica Hammond, Roger David Tumminieri, Lorraine Ann O’Halloran, Christine Wagner (Jantzen) and John van Goch.
Bluewater District School Board trustee for Grey Highlands and Southgate (one to be elected):
Janice Kaikkonen, Bryden Jones and Shenika Reid
French Public Trustee – Conseil Scolaire Viamonde (one to be elected):
Eric Lapointe and Saveria Caruso
Bruce Grey Catholic District School Board (one to be elected):
Robyn Garvey Wiseman (acclaimed to the position)
French Separate Trustee - Conseil Scolair Catholic Providence (one to be elected):
Sylvie C. Barbeau-Chmielewski and Meghan Reale
“While municipalities across Ontario are reporting record low levels on nominations, we did the opposite: new record highs,” said Meslin. “Congratulations to all the brave souls who put their name on the ballot.”
The election will be held on October 24, 2022. In Grey Highlands, there are multiple ways for residents to vote. Full information is available here.
