Slow start to race for regional councillor
Almost one month after the opening of the nomination period, the race for seats on regional council is off to a slow start.
Only one candidate for regional chairman has stepped forward.
As of Wednesday, there are nine candidates for Regional Council seats, not including candidates for Niagara’s 12 mayor positions, who comprise the rest Niagara’s regional council.
The slow start didn’t surprise former St. Catharines mayor Brian McMullan.
The conventional wisdom is that candidates are waiting for the provincial election to end on June 7 before registering and officially launching their campaigns.
“The provincial election is a factor,” said McMullan, who was elected twice as mayor before leaving politics for the private sector in 2014. “If you are running, you may not want to announce your candidacy in the middle of one. The experienced candidates have a date targeted to register and begin raising funds in earnest.”
McMullan’s first campaign was in 1988 for a seat at city council representing the Grantham ward.
“It’s exciting for someone running the first time, but there are some nervous moments,” he said. “You are starting down an unknown path, and you don’t know what to expect.
“I give credit to anyone who has the courage to put their name on the ballot and ask for people for their support.”
The nomination period closes July 27 at 2 p.m. Clerks will certify or reject nominations the next business day on July 30. Voters will head to the polls on Oct. 22, a Monday.
The campaign to choose a regional chairman in a direct election will be a first for Niagara. Since the province formed Niagara Region in 1970, regional councillors have voted to select one of their own as regional chair.
John (Ringo) Beam of Niagara Falls is the first candidate to file papers to run for the position of regional chair.
Christoffer Knutt is running for a seat on regional council in Fort Erie while incumbent Tony Quirk has filed his papers in Grimsby.
Another incumbent, Selina Volpatti has registered to run in Niagara Falls. Barbara Butters, a Port Colborne city councillor, is seeking a seat at the Region in October.
St. Catharines has two candidates for regional council, Haley Bateman and Laura Ip.
Incumbent Paul Grenier is running for one of two Welland seats at the Region.
In West Lincoln, the mayor has represented township, but he or she will get reinforcements this time. Regional council voted in December to expand to 31 seats to give another seat to the growing municipality. West Lincoln is expected to double its population to 30,000 over the next 25 years. Two candidates have thrown their hat into the ring for the new seat: Albert Witteveen and Terry Bell.
Kevin Gibson and Richard Dykstra are running for mayor in Wainfleet while Jeff A. Jordan is running for mayor in Grimsby. Betty Disero is the lone candidate so far for lord mayor of Niagaraon-the-Lake.
Incumbent Mayor Jim Diodati has filed to run again in Niagara Falls. Marv Junkin is running for mayor in Pelham. Port Colborne has two candidates for mayor, Betty Konc and Bill Steele, but there are rumours a Regional councillor may seek the position.
Henry D’Angela and Terry Ugulini are running for mayor in Thorold. David Clow and incumbent Frank Campion are registered for mayor of Welland. Johnny Tischler has thrown his hat in the ring for mayor of St. Catharines.
At the time of writing this story, no candidates specifically for regional council had registered in Lincoln, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Pelham and Thorold. No one has registered to run for mayor in Fort Erie, Lincoln or West Lincoln.