Barry Crane announces run for mayor of Diamond Valley

A candidate has emerged to run for mayor in the first Diamond Valley election. 

The mayor of Turner Valley, Barry Crane, contacted the Western Wheel on Oct. 24 to announce his intention to run for the top seat of the new municipality. 

“Continuity in leadership, and as much experience as possible moving into an amalgamated community, is forefront for voters,” Crane said. 

He said he will have more to add once campaigning starts. 

First elected as a councillor in 2013, Crane was re-elected to council in 2017. He became mayor by acclamation in 2019 and again in September of 2021. 

Crane is currently the only candidate for mayor, but 10 people are known to be running for councillor seats as of the morning of Oct. 25. 

Six of the 10 known council candidates currently hold seats. Heather Thomson and Veronica Kloiber serve on Black Diamond council, while Hazel Martin, Cindy Holladay, Curtis Dixon and Jonathan Gordon sit on Turner Valley council.     

Dale Harrison, Mykayla Bergie, Shay Ford, and Barry F. Williamson are the known candidates who do not currently have a seat at a council table. 

They gave the go-ahead for election officials to publish their names prior to the close of nominations. 

Gordon announced his election run on Facebook. 

Nominations to run in the first Diamond Valley municipal election will be accepted until noon on Oct. 31. Nomination forms will be accepted at either Black Diamond or Turner Valley town offices until then, with the final slate of candidates will be announced shortly after. 

Six councillors and one mayor will form Diamond Valley Town Council, and voters in Turner Valley and Black Diamond will make history when they cast ballots in the first election for the new Municipality of Diamond Valley on Nov. 28. 

Although the election is in November, the amalgamation of the two communities does not take effect until Jan.1. The incoming council will be sworn in at an organizational meeting no later than 60 days after the election.    

Between Jan.1 and the swearing-in of the new council, all elected officials from Turner Valley and Black Diamond will form the interim council of the Town of Diamond Valley.