Election changes due to amalgamation
- Details
- Published on Friday, September 5, 2014
By Diane Kuculym
Senior Election Official
The province of Manitoba passed legislation in 2012 forcing municipalities with populations of less than 1,000 to complete a plan to amalgamate by Dec. 2, 2013. RM of Blanshard, RM of Saskatchewan and Town of Rapid City have agreed to amalgamate to become RM of Oakview. Due to amalgamation, there will be many changes in the upcoming municipal election. The first council of Oakview will be composed of a head and six councillors. The head of council will be elected at large from the current municipalities of Blanshard, Saskatchewan and Rapid City (one reeve will be elected as opposed to two reeves and one mayor). Councillors of the new municipality are to be elected on the basis of two councillors elected at large from the following wards: Ward 1 is currently the Town of Rapid City, Ward 2 is currently the RM of Saskatchewan and Ward 3 is currently the RM of Blanshard.
A Local Urban District (LUD) of Rapid City will be formed effective Jan. 1, 2015. The LUD committee is to be composed of an Oakview councillor and three committee members; three committee members are to be elected by voters of the current Town of Rapid City at the municipal election on Oct. 22.
LUD of Oak River will continue to operate with the three LUD members elected by voters of the village of Oak River.
Assuming that more candidates are nominated than there are positions to fill, an election will be held and voters could be asked to vote as follows: Ward 1 electors could vote for a reeve, up to two councillors for Ward 1 and up to three committee members for LUD of Rapid City; Ward 2 electors could vote for a reeve and up to two councillors for Ward 2; Ward 3 electors could vote for a reeve and up to two councillors for Ward 3. However, electors in the LUD of Oak River would also be entitled to vote for up to three committee members for their LUD.
Nominations are now being accepted as per the advertisements published. It is hoped that anyone having questions regarding the election process for the new municipality will contact Diane Kuculym, RM of Oakview’s senior election official, at 204-566-2146.
