by Morinville News Staff
Morinville — Voters will have four options for mayor this election. The close of nomination day saw papers filed by incumbent Councillors Lisa Holmes and Sheldon Fingler as well as Christa Naughton and Carrie Foss.
Lisa Holmes
Holmes moved to Morinville four years ago with her family and was elected three years ago with 1,007 votes. Three years later, Holmes believes she is the right person to lead Morinville over the next four years.
“Over the past term I’ve had the opportunity to experience how the role of an elected official can be a strong advocate for our community and influence positive change,”
Holmes said when she announced her inten- tions to run. “I’ve spent my time serving the people of Morinville with passion and com- mitment in each committee I’ve served on, both locally and regionally.”
Holmes said she has prided herself on making decisions with integrity, trustworthi- ness and always with the best interests of Morinville in mind.
“This is our home — our community — and I intend to be here raising our family here for many years,” she said.
Christa Naughton
Business woman Christa Marie Naughton threw her hat into the ring for Morinville’s upcoming fall mayoral race back in July.
Naughton, 39, has managed Shotgun Sally’s on the corner of 100 Avenue and 100 Street for seven-and-a-half years and has lived in the community for nearly five years. Over that time she has met and become friends with many people in the community. It was learning their needs that prompted her to run for mayor. “I just think that Morinville needs some change,” she said.
“It needs what the people that I care about, which is the community that I have met so far – they deserve something that they are looking for that they just don’t seem to be getting.”
For Naughton, the missing element is the truth, combined with a real person who understands their concerns because they live and breathe the same way they do.
Carrie Foss
Long-time resident Carrie Foss entered the race to be the next mayor of Morinvile in July. Foss, who has lived in the community for 14 years and spent seven of those years serving separately as Chamber and Lions Club president, was initially going to run as councillor, but all but one of the people she talked to told her she should run for mayor.
“I think a lot of it has to do with past experience in the community,” Foss said at the time. “I was the Chamber president for four years and really fought tooth and nail for a lot of the businesses for a lot of the things that were going on.
The candidate said she has come to be known in the community as someone who is in it for the long haul through her four years with the Chamber and three years as Lions president. “You can’t affect change over- night,” Foss said. “It doesn’t matter what you are doing. If you are in and out, you are not making a difference. You might be making a small difference but not enough of a difference to make a big difference. With me, if it is going to take four years to fight a battle, it is going to take four years.”
Sheldon Fingler
Fingler announced at the end of August he would seek the mayoral seat in the fall election. He was elected to Council in the 2012 by-election and said he was motivated to run for the seat after hearing from a number of residents and sharing their concerns about the community and how it is being run.
“People around the community talked about what we need and the direction that Morinville is going,” Fingler said, adding he believes being part of the process is the only real way to make a difference. “We can lobby and do things as citizens all we want; however, in order to have a true and active voice, one has to step to the plate.”
Fingler said he was born and raised in Morinville and chose to raise his family here. He wants his children to raise their families here and wants to ensure the community is one they can do so in. “I grew up in Morinville doing the things I want my kids to grow up and do,” he said. “For me it’s about moving a community forward but remembering who we are. For me it’s dedication to Morinville.”
More info on candidates
For our full interviews with the four mayoral candidates, please visit our online election page at morinvillenews.com/election-2013. Candidates were not yet official as of our press deadline Monday afternoon. Candidates had 24 hours from the close of nominations to withdraw their papers.
