Healthy municipal election race in Port Colborne

Four sitting councillors not returning in autumn

Twenty-six election candidates for city and regional councils have registered in Port Colborne.

No matter what happens, there will be a slew of new faces on city council, as Mayor John Maloney announced earlier this year he will be not seeking re-election after his current and only term ends.

Later, three councillors also announced they would not be seeking re-election: Bea Kenny (Ward 3), Yvon Doucet (Ward 2) and John Maynes (Ward 1).

With Barbara Butters (Ward 4) running for the Region, it means every ward will have at least one new representative.

For the job of mayor, first filer Betty Konc, a Wainfleet alderman, was joined by former city councillor Bill Steele shortly afterwards.

In recent days Ron St. Jean, an employee at ASW Steel Inc. in Welland and, on Friday, Wayne Elliott, founder and director of business development for Marine Recycling Corp., also joined.

The race for Port Colborne’s regional representative is wide open with David Barrick’s announcement he is not running again.

Butters was first out of the gate and was recently joined by Casey Biko, Norman Leon and Randy Garrett.

The remaining ward councillor nominations are as follows:

• Ward 1: Mark Bagu, David Elliott (incumbent), Eric Gervais, Norbert Gieger and Donna Kalailieff.

• Ward 2: Eric Beauregard, Angie Desmarais and Tim Hoyle.

• Ward 3: Gary Bruno, Frank Danch (incumbent), Casey Forgeron, Kim Randell and Ray Vachon.

• Ward 4: Ron Bodner (incumbent), Karen Desjardins, Tom Harriettha, Ronald Jordan and Harry Wells.

Voters go to the polls on Oct. 22.