By Grace Jones | posted on June 28, 2018
FIFTEEN months from the next council election Dennis Wellington says he will nominate for a third term as Albany mayor.
The Weekender can reveal that, aside from Mr Wellington, at least five of six city councillors whose terms expire next year plan to run again.
Mr Wellington said he was still enjoying his role.
“There is a lot of stuff that I haven’t finished yet,” he said.
“It’s a fair summation to say that I’ll put my hand up next year.”
He said that if re-elected he would do everything he could to see the hotel planned for Middleton Beach completed.
“I want better tertiary education in Albany for the research of renewable energy,” he said.
“Using the windmills to power Albany is a goal.
“For a town this size, using renewable energy makes sense.”
Deputy Mayor and Frederickstown Ward councillor Greg Stocks said he would also run again as a councillor and throw his hat in the ring for the council’s 2IC position if elected next October.
Kalgan Ward councillor Bill Hollingworth, Yakamia Ward’s Anthony Moir and Vancouver Ward’s John Shanhun all indicated they would run again for council.
All these councillors ruled out a tilt at the mayoral position.
Breaksea Ward’s Paul Terry would not say whether he would attempt to retain his councillor position.
He also declined to comment on whether he would run for mayor.
West Ward’s Sandie Smith said she would run again for councillor but at this stage did not intend to run for mayor.
“It’s a bit early in the piece to say I’ll run for mayor, but at this time I won’t be,” she said.
Cr Stocks said he would not run for mayor as long as Mr Wellington intended to do so.
“He’s a good mayor and it’s not my intention to run against him,” he said.
Cr Hollingworth said he would support Mr Wellington’s nomination.
“Dennis is doing a terrific job as mayor,” he said.
Cr Moir said Mr Wellington had “good leadership and a great structure of staff behind him”.
Cr Shanhun said Mr Wellington was doing “a great job”.
Former Kalgan Ward councillor Janelle Price, Vancouver Ward councillor Nicolette Mulcahy and Frederickstown Ward councillor Carolyn Dowling, all voted out in the 2017 election, said they would not re-contest in 2019.
Mr Wellington was first elected mayor in 2011 after defeating incumbent Milton Evans, and fended off a challenge in 2015 from city planner Neil Smithson.
Breaksea Ward councillor Ray Hammond, Frederickstown Ward’s Rebecca Stephens, Kalgan Ward’s Emma Doughty, Vancouver Ward’s Tracy Sleeman, West Ward’s Alison Goode, and Yakamia Ward’s Robert Sutton will have their terms expire in 2021.
