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At least half of the current Smithers councillors will not be running again

Lorne Benson, Mika Meyer and Greg Brown have bowed out of the upcoming election
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Smithers Town Hall. (Marisca Bakker photo)

There will be some fresh faces around the Smithers council table next term as half of the councillors have already decided not to run again in the next election.

Nominations opened up last week and current councillors Lorne Benson, Mika Meyer and Greg Brown have bowed out.

Benson said he is hoping to spend more time with family and do some travelling but that it wasn’t an easy decision to step back from local government.

“I’m quite conflicted, recognizing the need for experience, and for a conservative approach to delivering services at a sustainable rate of taxation,” he said. “In fact, that is needed for all levels of government.”

Benson has been on council for three terms in total but not consecutively.

Meyer also cited the need for more family time in her decision not to run. The last term was her first.

“It has been an incredible experience that has been extremely rewarding and challenging at the same time,” she said. “I do hope in my time on council I was able to contribute to the good work of our council and have helped move our community in a positive way through the pandemic and now into recovery and healing.”

She said she now looks forward to continuing to support the next council and mayor as an engaged citizen and take her new experiences, insight and knowledge to support positive growth and change within the community and town.

Greg Brown is also not running again after two back-to-back terms.

As of Monday morning, Councillors John Buikema, Casda Thomas and Frank Wray were undecided.

Mayor Gladys Atrill has already thrown her hat in the ring for mayor again.

So far, no one has said they will run against her.

Nominations close Sept. 9.

The election will be held Oct. 15.



Marisca Bakker

About the Author: Marisca Bakker

Marisca was born and raised in Ontario and moved to Smithers almost ten years ago on a one-year contract.
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