The three people vying to become the next mayor of Thompson — incumbent Colleen Smook, current city councillor Les Ellsworth and former city councillor Ron Matechuk — addressed interested voters from the stage of the Letkemann Theatre Oct. 19 in the first of back-to-back mayoral forums.
About a dozen people asked questions at the forum, on topics ranging from public safety, economic development, the proposed replacement for the Norplex Pool and Thompson’s need for a new fire hall, as well as areas that are outside the city’s purview, including Highway 6 and the possibility of a second bridge over the Burntwood River.
The candidates offered three distinct arguments as to why they should get people’s votes on Oct. 26. Smook ran on her record, highlighting the ability of the city during her term to obtain outside funding for various projects, including five-year road and water and sewer renewal plans, a replacement for the Norplex Pool and the recently opened sobering centre, all of which will continue into the next term. Ellsworth argued that, more than anything, Thompson needs to get a handle on crime and safety to lay the foundation for a better future, while Matechuk said that he prizes efficiency and wise spending over anything because that is how you can convince people to move to the city and businesses to open up shop here.
Audience members asking questions included one currently running for council, another just finishing up his first and only term on council and a former councillor, as well as a retiring City Hall employee and a former fire chief.
Current council candidate Addie Colbourne asked if it was true that no city money had been spent on the sobering/healing centre on Princeton Drive. Smook said a contribution from Vale was funding the longer-term housing of chronically homeless people currently taking place there but that the city had provided administrative help, though she later clarified that she was referring only to the one floor of one building currently in use, not the cost of heat and water for the three former University College of the North buildings the city took ownership of as part of the project or the foregone property tax revenue.
“That's the money that's we're not talking about tonight,” said Ellsworth in his answer.
Asked why the city hasn’t released total cost estimates for a new aquatic facility as designed, Smook and Ellsworth both said it’s best not to do that before putting the project out to tender.
“You don't give them the public costs,” said Ellsworth, but Matechuk had an opposing view.
“I have asked now at five or six committee meetings to have these numbers released and it just doesn't happen,” he said. “It's public dollars, everybody should know this. Simple as that.”
On the subject of a new fire hall, raised by former fire chief John Maskerine, who described the current facility in dire terms, saying the department’s employees were “living in squalor,” Ellsworth and Smook expressed support for examining the prospect, without making any real commitments, while Matechuk questioned the need.
“Bottom line is what can we afford?” he said. “What are we prepared to pay for in taxes? If we can’t afford it, we'll build something too small. So we're better off not doing it at all and waiting until we can afford it.”
In his closing statement, Ellsworth said that until safety concerns are addressed, Thompson will not be able to live up to it potential or past glories.
“I promise to not turn a blind eye to what is going on including our high crime rates and the fear that residents are experiencing,” he said. “We need to work with all levels of government and stakeholders to resolve those issues.”
Matechuk promised not to raise water rates for the whole term and not to increase property taxes in the first year if elected and hopefully not for the whole term.
“We are overtaxed,” he said. “It's time to start being more efficient. And when debentures do come up, maybe you will have to fill some of that space with new borrowing, but common sense must prevail.”
Smook said work done during this term is setting Thompson up for success down the line and that some of her regrets are about not taking a harder stance at times.
“Maybe sometimes behind those pandemic masks when … I was saying something very inappropriate but shutting up behind my mask, I should have maybe said it out loud. I should have maybe stuck up for our staff and administration. I should maybe have cut off some councillors that were talking.”
Election day is Oct. 26.
