Of those running for election in Diamond Valley later this month, four candidates have not previously been on municipal council.
Randy Williamson, running for mayor, joins Mykayla Bergie, Dale Harrison and Shay Ford, who are seeking councillor roles in a crowded race to form the first government in Diamond Valley. Their motivations for entering the race include past professional experience, giving back and addressing affordability.
The new council will be sworn in this January.
Williamson said he is running for mayor because he’s ready for the challenge.
“I intend to be a hands-on mayor,” said the Turner Valley resident. “I've been here for 20 years, I got a vested interest in Diamond Valley, and we’ve raised our family here, and we're actively involved in both communities.”
With a background in business management, he wants to put his negotiating skills and professionalism to use and he wants to support residents.
“At the end of the day, there's a lot of long-term residents that made our towns what they are today, and I would like to maintain their legacy,” he said.
“I think together, we can make a difference. This is our town, and it represents all of us. So that's why I'm standing up.”
Honesty will count for a lot in the campaign, he said.
“I think it’s just gonna come down to how sincere you are,” he said.
Williamson was unsuccessful in his bid for a council seat in a 2019 byelection in Turner Valley, coming in second in the contest.
Bergie, from Turner Valley, is running for council with an eye on affordability and accessibility.
The insurance professional said her property taxes have gone up each of the last two years, but she hasn’t noticed any extra service or amenities.
“And I notice that extra $200 a year in taxes,” Bergie said. “It's a Christmas present I can't buy my niece or nephew, or a steak dinner I can't treat my husband to on his birthday.”
She plans to connect with voters both in-person and online.
If elected, she would work towards a rec centre that is built through partnerships, sponsorships and grants.
“I think it's time that we had a year-round resource for the town where our seniors can go, our kids can go and it's safe and affordable," she said.
Her main message is she wants to make things work better and be more affordable for residents of Diamond Valley.
Harrison has not held elected office, but he’s running on experience in his council bid.
“I’ve been around municipal government for a long time,” said the Black Diamond resident.
Most recently the Chief Administrative Officer for the Village of Longview, Harrison has also worked for an amalgamated community.
“My first position in municipal government was with the city of Cold Lake, which was an amalgamated community,” he said.
He was economic development officer there, about eight years after the 1996 amalgamation of the Town of Cold Lake and the Town of Grande Centre.
That role gave him insight into some of the challenges that Diamond Valley might face, he said.
“The two councils have done a lion's share of work in trying to figure out the administrative part of merging the two communities, but it's going to be a matter of how do we draw the citizens together,” he said.
Ford has lived in Turner Valley for 20 years and said it’s time to give back to the community and offer a fresh perspective.
“Turner Valley has been very good to me, and the people in Turner Valley have been exceptional,” she said.
With a historic rivalry between Black Diamond and Turner Valley, amalgamation will offer new opportunities, she said.
“We're going to be working as a team, to actually be able to achieve more,” said the self-described advocate and life-long learner.
Trying to win a seat in the crowded campaign will come down to public awareness, she said, and Ford hopes to have some name-recognition from her involvement with several community groups.
She appreciates the fact that there is a deep well of experience among those running for seats but said a new perspective can be helpful.
"Sometimes it's a fresh look from a fresh direction, which is really important,” she added.
There are 13 candidates running in the Diamond Valley election. Eleven are seeking council seats and two are running for mayor.
Of all the candidates, eight currently hold seats on either Black Diamond or Turner Valley council. Another, Barry Williamson, was previously a three-term councillor in Turner Valley who also spent time as CAO for that town.
The election will be held on Nov. 28 with voting locations set up in Black Diamond and Turner Valley. Residents from either town can vote at any location.
