Municipal election will have races in several communities

GREY-BRUCE – The 2022 municipal election is shaping up to be a contentious one in a number of areas – two- and three-way races for mayor and deputy mayor are the rule, with Brockton and Arran-Elderslie being the exceptions.

At least one local municipality (West Grey) has 14 people vying for five council positions.

There’ll also be new faces around most council tables, as a number of long-time council members have chosen not to seek municipal office in 2022. This is certainly the case in Brockton, where the current deputy mayor – Dan Gieruszak, and two experienced councillors – Dean Leifso and Steve Adams – aren’t running. Another member of the current council is moving up to deputy mayor.

The following are official candidates. The Walkerton Herald-Times will be running candidate profiles in a coming edition.

Brockton candidates

There will be no election for the two top positions on Brockton council; the certified list of candidates shows Chris Peabody has been acclaimed as mayor, and James Lang is acclaimed as deputy mayor.

However, there will be an election on Oct. 24 for council, with five councillors to be selected from among six candidates: Tim Elphick, Gregory J. McLean, Kym Hutcheon, Mitch Clark, Philip Englishman and Carl Kuhnke.

Vying for the position of school board trustee – Bluewater District School Board – are David Alan Rogers and Derrick Long.

Running for school board trustee – Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board – Kincardine, Huron-Kinloss and Brockton Ward 31 – are Lori Di Castri, Allan Kempert and Stellina Williams.

Running for school board trustee – Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board – Brockton Wards 34 and 36 – are Linda Strader and Jean Hedley.

Running for French public school board trustee – Membre, Conseil scolaire Viamonde – are Saveria Caruso and Eric Lapointe.

Running for French separate school board trustee – Membre, Conseil Scolaire Catholique Providence – are Sylvia C. Chmielewski and Meghan Reale.

South Bruce candidates

The certified list of candidates for South Bruce shows a three-way race for the position of mayor: Robert Buckle, Mark Goetz and Rita Groen.

Running for the two councillor-at-large positions are Sandy Bunker, Doug Kreller, Mike Niesen and Nigel Vandyk.

Running for the two councillor spots in the Teeswater-Culross Ward are Mark Ireland, Mike McDonagh, Gordon Ripley and Michelle Stein.

Acclaimed to the two councillor positions for the Mildmay-Carrick Ward are Audrey Bross and Jeff Goetz.

Beverley Eckensweiler and Richard “Rick” Zettler are running for school board trustee – Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board.

Vying for the position of school board trustee – Bluewater District School Board – are David Alan Rogers and Derrick Long.

Sylvie C. Barbeau-Chmielewski and Meghan Reale are seeking the position of school board trustee – Conseil Scolaire Catholique Providence.

Running for school board trustee – Membre, Conseil scolaire Viamonde – are Saveria Caruso and Eric Lapointe.

Hanover candidates

In Hanover, there’s a two-way race for mayor – Rob McKean and Sue Paterson.

There’s also a two-way race for deputy mayor – Warren Dickert and Selwyn John Hicks.

Seven candidates are seeking five council positions – Daniel Luke Cockburn, Tony Diaco, Harold Fleet, David Hocking, Carol Hudson, Brandon Koebel and Susan Sakal.

Robyn Garvey (Wiseman) is acclaimed trustee for the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School board.

Tracy L. Schaus-Atkinson is seeking to become trustee for the Bluewater District School Board.

Candidates for trustee for the French public school board are Saveria Caruso and Eric Lapointe.

Candidates for trustee for the French separate school board are Sylvie C. Barbeau-Chmielewski and Meghan Reale.

Arran-Elderslie candidates

In Arran-Elderslie, Steve Hammell has been acclaimed mayor.

Running for deputy mayor are Mark Davis and Jennifer Christie.

Running for Arran Ward councillor are Ryan Nickason and John Alpaugh.

Acclaimed as Chesley Ward councillor is Darryl Hampton.

Running for Elderslie Ward councillor are Melissa Barrett and Brian Dudgeon.

Acclaimed in Paisley Ward is Moiken Penner.

Running for councillor in Tara Ward are Ryan Greig and Peter Steinacker.

School board trustee candidates – Bluewater District School Board – are Katie Lutz and Yvonne Cameron; Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board – Lucie Desbiens and Jeannette Lee; French public board – Eric Lapointe and Saveria Caruso; and French separate board – Sylvie C. Barbeau-Chmielewski and Meghan Reale.

West Grey candidates

There’s a three-way race for mayor in West Grey – Christine Robinson, Stephen Townsend and Kevin Eccles.

Two candidates are running for deputy mayor – Thomas “Tom” Hutchinson and Butch Attersoll.

West Grey has 14 people running for five council positions – Scott Foerster, Deidter Stadnyk, Doug Hutchinson, T C Paige Crewson, Doug Townsend, Steve Morel, Geoffrey Shea, Heather Wright, Brian Carr, Joyce Nuhn, Christine Bouius, Filomena McDonald, Yvonne Pelletier, and Rebecca Hergert.

Other key races

Kincardine will see two candidates vying for the position of mayor – Kenneth Craig and Laura Haight, and three running for deputy mayor – Andrea Clarke, Gerald Glover and Uli Hack. Kincardine voters will also be choosing three councillors-at-large, and one councillor for each of wards 2 and 3. The two councillors for ward 1 have been acclaimed – Beth Blackwell and Doug Kennedy.

In Huron-Kinloss, there’s a three-way race for mayor – Roxy Bergman, Don Murray and Angela Thompkins. Perry Elliott and James Hanna are running for deputy mayor. There are eight candidates for the five councillor-at-large positions.

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Pauline Kerr is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with the Walkerton Herald-Times. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.