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October 17, 2007 Vol. 33 No. 11  
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Okotoks Mayor Bill McAlpine and his wife Kaye celebrate his victory Monday night after it was made official he would be returning for a fourth term. McAlpine won in a landslide over Dave Clark and Dave R. Clarke. photo by Don Patterson

McAlpine dominates Okotoks election

By Don Patterson
Staff Reporter

Mayor Bill McAlpine will spend three more years at the head of the Town of Okotoks.
After all the votes in Monday’s municipal election were counted, McAlpine was declared the winner by a wide margin.
“I appreciate the support. I had a great team working for me, I had a whole bunch of people out there pounding the beat and I appreciate what everybody did,” he said.
McAlpine received 1,813 votes, or 70.5 per cent of the total ballots cast. Second place candidate Dave Clark received 517 votes, or 20.1 per cent of the total, and Dave R. Clarke received 240 votes, or 9.3 per cent of the total.
McAlpine said he sees the results as a vote of confidence for the direction the Town has been going in recent years.
“I think I see it as a statement that we’ve done the right thing,” he said.
McAlpine said his first priority will be to meet with Premier Ed Stelmach to discuss the planned 32 St. bridge and completion of Dawgs Stadium.
“I feel the province hasn’t lived up to their commitment to the three-P project that the Seamans and the Town of Okotoks put forward,” he added.
As well, McAlpine said he hopes to see progress on proposals to construct a new performing arts centre and a soccer facility in town.
“It gives me the feeling I should move forward with council on trying to get these things pushed through. That’s what I said I wanted to do and I think people agreed,” he said.
Despite the loss, Clark said he hopes he was able to get his message out and make an impact on the town.
“It would be nice if one or two of the issues I brought up were acted on, I think it would definitely help to make it all worthwhile,” he said.
He said he had expected to receive a higher percentage of the final vote and offered his congratulations to McAlpine.
“I guess I have to be a little disappointed,” he said. “Okotoks had it’s say. They decided, they really like Mr. McAlpine.”
Clarke echoed these sentiments and said he was content with the final results of the vote.

2007 Okotoks
Mayor election results

Bill McAlpine — 1,819
(Incumbent)
Dave Clark — 517
Dave R. Clarke — 240

“I guess I have to be a little disappointed, but Mr. McAlpine had a really high vote count, so I guess Okotoks knows what they want,” he said. “All the best to Mayor McAlpine.”
While Clarke may not have made much of an impact at the ballot box, he hopes he too was able to get his message out.
“If someone takes one or two of my issues to council and runs with it, then that’s been a success,” he added.
A total of 2,570 ballots were cast. While final the voter turnout wasn’t known the night of the election, it was expected to be lower than the 2004 election.

 

Towns split on amalgamation

By Tamara Neely
Staff Reporter

Amalgamation is likely a dead issue in Turner Valley and Black Diamond as a result of Monday’s plebiscite.
Results of Monday’s plebiscite show the communities of Black Diamond and Turner Valley were split on their view of amalgamation.
In Black Diamond, 557 people voted no, while 228 voted yes. However, the results were flip-flopped in Turner Valley, where 493 people voted yes, and 258 voted no.
Turner Valley mayor-elect Dona Fluter said she wasn’t surprised at the outcome.
“We made it very clear (to Turner Valley residents) where they could get information. And that the plebiscite was to give us direction, it was an indication of direction, an opinion,” said Fluter, adding, “There were some councillors actively campaigning against amalgamation in Black Diamond, that’s what I heard.
“So when you have that, it gives a feeling of uncertainty.”
Fluter summed it up by saying, “The way I see it, the engagement is off, the wedding is off, but we’re still going to live together.”
Barry Williamson, returning councillor for Turner Valley, said he feels the results indicate the point of understanding for the towns’ residents.
“I’m happy to see the Turner Valley residents understood what it was about, and the vote for yes (on the plebiscite) says they understood. But I don’t think the Black Diamond citizens understood what they were voting for. There seemed to be a heavy-duty effort to shoot it down. To vote no would suggest you didn’t understand that it was letting us complete the process (of gathering information about amalgamating).”
Both Williamson and Fluter said the vote was not to begin amalgamating, but whether or not residents were in favour of continuing to look at the issues involved.
“I don’t know what Black Diamond was afraid of. All we had to do was negotiate the policing element,” said Williamson.
The next step said Fluter is to continue to look at ways for the two communities to cooperate.
“In order for us to do our jobs, and do them well, we have to look at what services we can continue to share and look for new ones to share,” said Fluter, adding, “I believe both towns have a solid council, and I’m looking forward to working with them.”
Black Diamond mayor-elect Rolly Magee is concerned that people misunderstood the plebiscite question.
“I feel like the people in Black Diamond have not been informed properly, that they didn’t understand what council was trying to get across.
“The question was to get direction from the people to see if it’s feasible, and a lot of people thought it was to amalgamate.”
With Black Diamond’s no vote and Turner Valley’s yes vote, the next step, he said, is for both councils to confer on what to do next.

 


In this issue...
The Race Is On


Documentary on historic auto race being filmed in foothills
• See Entertainment


Putting On A Show


Okotoks Jr. A Oilers
extend winning streak
• See Sports

News Stories

Editorial

 Sports Archives

Published Wednesdays at Okotoks, Alberta, Canada. Serving the communities of Okotoks, Aldersyde, Black Diamond, DeWinton, Longview, Millarville, Priddis, Turner Valley, Bragg Creek, and the rural ratepayers of the M.D. of Foothills. And now the World. Established August 3, 1976.