Chestermere By-Election Set for June 24th

The Candidates are ready, and the date is set.

After seven months, the City of Chestermere will be heading to the polls on June 24th to elect a new council after months of being under provincial administration.

In November, Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver dismissed Chestermere Mayor Jeff Colvin and three city councillors, Stephen Hanley, Mel Foat, and Blaine Funk. This drastic action was the result of a province-ordered municipal inspection, which revealed according to the report severe mismanagement within the city's administration and Council. The inspection report found that the city was being managed in an "irregular, improper, and improvident manner," and it criticized the council'sfailure to comply with provincial directives intended to rectify these issues.

The nomination day for candidates is set for this Monday, May 27th, according to the city's official website. Three individuals have already declared their candidacy for the mayoral office: Marshall Chalmers, Shannon Dean, and Chris Steeves. Each candidate brings a different perspective and vision for the future of Chestermere, which will undoubtedly shape the campaign and the eventual direction of the city.

Marshall Chalmers is the former mayor for the city, Shannon Dean is a former city councillor, and Chris Steeves is a new figure in the political landscape. These candidates will need to address the complex issues facing Chestermere and present compelling platforms that offer clear solutions and a path forward.

The race for the five available council seats is equally competitive, with twelve candidates already confirmed by the city as of Saturday afternoon.

The candidates so far are Janelle Sandbee, Honda Birani, Scot Caithness, Gopal Krishan Saini, Vaishali Kumar, Rick Schell, Kiran Randhawa, Gurpreet Singh Toor, Mary Moojelsky, Satvir Singh Sahota, Robert Schindler, and Tammy Gates.

In addition to the dismissals last November, two more councillors have resigned: Shannon Dean, who is now running for mayor, and Sandy (Sandeep) Johal-Watt. Currently, the only official councillor listed on the City of Chestermere’s website is Ritesh Dalip Narayan, who has remained but has not conducted official town business due to the City being under Provincial Administration.

None of the four municipal officials who were fired by the province in November have filed their paperwork as of publication. Nomincations are accepted until Noon on Monday, May 27th