Eden Valley votes in experienced chief and council

Darcy Dixon was re-elected as chief of Bearspaw Nation last week.

In Eden Valley, south of Longview, incumbent councillor Rex Daniels was re-elected and former councillor Gordon Wildman was voted in when residents went to the polls on Dec. 6.

Daniels received 142 votes and Wildman received 62.

Larry Daniels lost his place on council by a margin of only 10 votes.

Returning chief Darcy Dixon won the election with 515 votes. That is 71 per cent of the vote.

The next closest candidate, David Bearspaw Jr., received 140 votes. Bearspaw Nation members from Morley and Eden Valley vote for the chief.

Around 245 of the approximately 350 eligible voters cast a ballot in Eden Valley.

Bearspaw Nation CEO Rob Shotclose said voter turnout was similar to the last election at about 70 per cent.

Shotclose said Dixon’s popularity has grown slightly over the last election.

“Last year he had 487 votes,” Shotclose said.

Dixon said he has remained transparent over his almost 20 years in politics, and believes that is why he gained overwhelming support at the polls.

“The band has meetings as much as we can, even though there is low turnout, we need to do it to get the word out to our members,” he said.

Over the next three years, Dixon said there are a number of economic initiatives he wants to see get off the ground on Bearspaw Nation land near the Eden Valley Reserve.

Dixon said he, Daniels and Wildman will continue to work with the Province to create a service centre, including an RV park, on a section of land across Highway 40 from the reserve.

The land is zoned agricultural and the Bearspaw Nation has been meeting with government officials in an effort to allow for a commercial development at the site.

The Nation’s chief and council will also consider land uses for a piece of land south of Longview along Highway 22. Dixon, Daniels and Wildman need to study a business and land-use plan created for the area and come up with a plan, Dixon said. The close proximity to the highway makes it prime real estate for development, Dixon said, adding homes could be built on the land, a truck stop or a wind or solar farm.

Another project that Dixon wants to see proceed is a multi-purpose centre on the Eden Valley Reserve. The building broke ground in 2012, but Dixon said it is still only framed and not totally sealed. The building will be the new band office, will have a space for a youth centre and early childhood education.

“In Eden Valley, the big push is to get their multipurpose building completed,” Dixon said.

The incoming chief and council are meeting Wednesday and will also meet with elders.

A swearing in ceremony will take place in January.