Falher council fills seven seats all by acclamation

Richard Froese
Smoky River Express

f Town of Falher will have two more councillors around the table with one mayor and six councillors coming in on acclamation following nominations Sept. 17 for municipal elections next month. Mayor Margaret Tardif was returned to council uncontested, reports returning officer and municipal administrator Gerard Nicolet. Incumbent councillors Donna Buchinski, Guy Beaudoin, Stephen Carter, and Victor Fournier continue by acclamation. Two newcomers on Falher council Former councillor Philippe Dube and newcomer Germain Sasseville fill the additional two seats on council. For this current three-year term, council was functioning with one mayor and four councillors, rather than the normal six councillors, after the municipal affairs minister reduced the number of councillors after the municipality received just five nominations. “I’m very happy that we have six councillors again and that we have experienced councillors,” says Mayor Tardif who has served as mayor 15 years, and 30 years on council. “It gives us wider opinions around the table.” Both newcomers to council have municipal experience. Sasseville served on Village of Eaglesham council for five years in the early 1990s, including two as mayor, before the municipality dissolved. “I have a common-sense approach to operating a municipality,” says Sasseville, who serves as senior area adjuster for Agriculture Financial Services Corporation based in Falher. He strongly supports regional cooperation and partnerships in the Smoky River region. “I want to work with all municipalities in the region,” says Sasseville. “We can all share facilities, equipment, services, and program.” “How many communities fall apart because they don’t work together?” He also wants to upgrade the crumbling First Street West (Cemetery Road) which could mean a partnerships with the Municipal District of Smoky River. “I want to see Cemetery Road fixed,” says Sasseville who lives near the road. “Maybe we can work together with the M.D.” Dube served on Falher council for six years until he was unseated in the last election in 2004. Dube is happy to return to council. “I was asked by a few of my neighbours to get back on council,” says Dube who served on Falher council for six years until he was unseated in the last election in 2004, and previously 12 years on Manning council. “I want to help council continue to make Falher a pleasant community and continue to operate the municipality in a fiscally responsible way.” Carter has served on council for 16 years. Buchinski has served on council for 10 years. Fournier has six years on Falher council, after 15 years in McLennan. Beaudoin is completing his first three-year term on council. Organization meeting scheduled for Oct. 15 Council set the organizational meeting during its regular meeting on Oct. 15.