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New mayor elected in Fort Liard
Roxanna Thompson Northern News Services Published Thursday, December 17, 2009
The Dec. 14 election pitted Capot-Blanc against incumbent Wayne Newbury in a rematch of the 2007 elections, which Newbury had won. This time the outcome was reversed, with Capot-Blanc receiving 34 votes to Newbury's 32.
Fort Liard election results
Mayor Election:
Julie Capot-Blanc (E): 34 votes
Wayne Newbury: 32
Council election:
Brad Giroux (E) - 50 votes I
Morris McLeod (E) - 50 I
Barb McLeod (E) - 49
Ken Nowoselski (E) - 49 I
Karen McLeod (E) - 43 I
Kathie McLeod (E) - 34
Jennifer Newbury - 28
District Education Authority Election:
Karen McLeod (E) - 54 votes
Marilyn Marcellais (E) - 47
Robert Firth (E) - 44
Gilbert Capot Blanc - 43
Melanie Louis (E) - 42
Jennifer Newbury (E) 42
Hillary Deneron - 37
Jonathan Yeo - 35
E = Elected
I = Incumbent
Capot-Blanc said she was surprised by her election. The two-vote difference between herself and Newbury shows both candidates raised similar concerns that residents agreed with, she said.
For the council seats residents voted to stay primarily with familiar faces. Kathie McLeod and Barb McLeod are the only two councillors who weren't on the previous council. Returning councillors include Brad Giroux, Morris McLeod, Ken Nowoselski and Karen McLeod.
"It's a good mix," said Capot-Blanc.
The new mayor and council will be sworn in on Jan. 7 at the first council meeting of the new year.
One of the first suggestions Capot-Blanc plans to bring to the table is holding a tri-council meeting.
"It's so everybody knows where the first nation council is and where the hamlet council is at," she said.
During her campaign, one of the main planks in Capot-Blanc's election platform was there hasn't been enough dialogue between the hamlet and the Acho Dene Koe First Nations.
In addition to her election as mayor, Capot-Blanc is also a band councillor. She said the first order of business in the new year will be to bring new councillors up to speed.
In the long term Capot-Blanc would like to establish a recreation committee to ensure there are more recreational activities for all ages in the hamlet and to also work more closely with the band council. The council also needs to examine the hamlet's 20-year plan to see if they are on track, she said.
As mayor, Capot-Blanc said she will be helping councillors make the right decisions.
A total of 68 people voted in the election out of approximately 300 eligible voters, according to returning officer Marie Kotchea.
Voter turnout is normally between 120 to 150 people. Kotchea said the cold temperatures, which hovered around -38 C in Fort Liard on Monday, could have been partly responsible for the decreased voter participation.
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