By TERRY PUGH
Nine of the ten candidates running for Warman City Council took centre stage at a civic election forum October 29 at the Brian King Centre.
Incumbents Richard Beck, Shaun Cripps, Tracy Johnson, Doug Ramage, Marshall Seed and Kevin Tooley, along with candidates Chris Mason, Mathew Thacker and Patrick Turner were on hand at the forum, organized by the Prairie Sky Chamber of Commerce. Candidate Amar Vasani was not able to attend due to a prior commitment.
The forum provided an opportunity for residents to hear firsthand from the candidates. (The City of Warman website – www.warman.ca – has profiles of each candidate that can be accessed by clicking on ‘Elections’ – and then clicking on ‘2024 Candidates’ on the left side of the screen.)
Richard Beck and his wife have lived in Warman since 2008. He was first elected to city council in 2009. He said his priorities are economic growth through business attraction, a new civic public works building, and additional equipment to keep pace with growth.
Shaun Cripps and his wife have lived in Warman since 2006. He was elected to council in 2020. He owns a construction company and is a past president of the Saskatchewan Construction Association. He said it’s important to keep property taxes as low as possible while still ensuring the city has sufficient resources to provide essential services for residents and businesses. He added public safety is a high priority, and noted that regional cooperation is key to attracting larger businesses.
Tracy Johnson, an educator and the only female candidate for council, said she is not afraid to speak her mind during council discussions. First elected in 2020, she said she has always voted with her heart, and is proud to represent the city on the Prairie Rivers Reconciliation Committee. She said while the city is fortunate to have good infrastructure, it’s important to continue lobbying the federal and provincial governments for additional resources to allow the city to grow.
Chris Mason and his wife are educators in Warman, and have lived in the community for the past 14 years. He said his priorities are attracting new businesses, expanding health care services, promoting recreational amenities, and improving residents’ quality of life.
Doug Ramage was first elected to council in 2020, and during that time he put forward initiatives to improve safety in access to the Traditions neighbourhood, initiated a local procurement strategy to help support local businesses, and supported a council initiative for entry level and affordable rentals. He has been a strong advocate for expanding health care services in Warman. His priorities if re-elected include health care, affordability and attracting and retaining investment beyond the retail and service sectors.
Marshall Seed was elected in 2020 to council after many years as a community volunteer. He was named Warman Volunteer of the Year in 2017.
“I believe in actions, not words,” said Seed during the forum. “I won’t promise anything I’m not willing to do myself. As a first-term councillor, the past four years have been challenging and fulfilling. I want Warman to be a safe, clean, progressive place to live.” He said he is pushing for a regional ambulance service and more affordable housing, and noted Warman’s growth is significant, with building permits in 2024 almost double what they were in 2023.
Mathew Thacker and his family have called Warman home since 2012. He is manager of occupational health and safety with the City of Saskatoon, and said that role has given him insights into the importance of responsible governance, safety and community well-being. He said his vision for Warman is of a growing, welcoming community where people can thrive and feel connected; a place where businesses can succeed and infrastructure keeps pace with growth.
Kevin Tooley and his wife have lived in Warman since 2004. He is a real estate assessment and evaluation manager with the City of Sakatoon. During his time on Warman City Council he has been committed to the growth and prosperity of Warman, and has proposed “common sense solutions” to problems after listening to and understanding different perspectives at the council table.
“As a member of council I have never had an agenda and I have always been consistent over the years,” said Tooley. “We need to encourage investment in amenities and services, and keep Warman family-friendly and affordable.”
Patrick Turner and his family have lived in Warman for the past 11 years. He works as a supervisor for the City of Saskatoon, and is a union representative. “I’ve had experience with municipal operations and community engagement,” said Turner. “As the father of an 8-year-old hockey player, I’m committed to a vibrant, family-friendly environment; and also committed to supporting our community’s growth and prosperity.”
Amar Vasani, who was unable to be at the forum, provided a statement which was read by forum moderator Richard Reimer. Vasani is a political science graduate who believes there needs to be improvements to health care services in Warman. He also said he wants to see “more affordable” basic utilities and suggested a review of property taxes is needed.
Candidates responded to a series of questions at the forum, including what areas of the civic budget they would increase or decrease, what infrastructure projects they would like to see in the near future, and what measures they would introduce to recruit and retain more family doctors and other health care professionals.
Candidates were also queried on their approaches to public safety and what measures they would suggest to reduce crime.
All candidates were in agreement that Warman is fortunate to have a top-ranked volunteer fire department trained to professional standards, and expressed support for the RCMP. Several incumbent candidates noted there is a need for a new RCMP detachment building, and pointed out that additional funding would be needed in the near future once Warman reaches a population threshold of 15,000, at which time the city would be responsible for paying 90 per cent of the costs of running the detachment.