By TERRY PUGH
Ratepayers in Division 6 of the RM of Corman Park will be going to the polls on November 13 to elect a new councillor.
A byelection for Division 6 is slated to take place at the same time as the general election for Reeve and odd-numbered division councillors.
Division 6 councillor Bas Froese-Kooijenga, who was elected in 2022, confirmed he’ll be stepping down from the post midway through his four-year term.
He has been an elected councillor for 12 years, having been first elected in 2012 following a redrawing of division boundaries that saw Corman Park go from 11 councillors to eight.
Froese-Kooijenga, a full-time dairy producer who runs a family farm with his wife Martha north of Martensville, said he is no longer able to commit his full energies to council business.
“I just kind of felt like I was running out of steam,” said Froese-Kooijenga in an interview September 12. “It’s a bit like an old battery. You can keep charging it again and again, but after a while it doesn’t hold that charge as well as it used to.
“I wasn’t sure if I was able to go on for another two years without being fully able to commit. And to be a good councillor, you have to be fully committed.”
He added that the timing of his decision was influenced by the fact that the cost of a byelection would be less if it was held simultaneously with a general election.
Froese-Kooijenga said Corman Park is a unique rural municipality because of its proximity to Saskatoon, its large geographic area with hundreds of kilometers of roads, its diverse commercial and residential base, and its phenomenal growth rate. Corman Park is also a pivotal player in the Partnership for Growth (P4G) initiative, which is in the process of mapping out a long-term vision for the overall Saskatoon region.
“It often seems as though Corman Park is not benefiting as much as the other municipalities from this partnership, and I agree that improvements need to be made,” said Froese-Kooijenga. “But I also firmly believe that we would be in a much worse position if we weren’t a player in this regional partnership.
“If we didn’t have a voice at the table we would be a straight-out land bank for the urban municipalities to annex, or for the Saskatoon Lands Branch to continue to buy land to secure its future growth area.
“We’re in a better position if we remain in P4G and speak out for the interests of ratepayers.”
Froese-Kooijenga said he’s learned a lot during his time on council, and has been appreciative of ratepayers’ feedback.
“It’s been rewarding to be able to deliver results for ratepayers in my division,” said Froese-Kooijenga. “Whether that’s dust control, additional gravel on roads, and helping them with issues that come up.
“It’s also been a good experience working with folks in the hamlet of Neuhorst, which is my division. That’s a unique community that has a century of history behind it. It’s been good to get pavement onto Neuhorst Road, and I had hoped to get the last few miles paved, but it costs $1 million per mile for pavement, so it’s an expensive project.”
Froese-Kooijenga said over the past 12 years, Corman Park council has done its best to make decisions in the best interests of all ratepayers. Discussions at the council table have been at times vigorous when councillors don’t agree, but that discussion is always respectful.
“I have really enjoyed my time on council,” said Froese-Kooijenga. “I have a lot of respect for Reeve Judy Harwood and her leadership, and I’d like to thank the other councillors for their work, their advice and their support.”
Froese-Kooijenga said he intends to devote more time to his farm and his family.