There will be no election for mayor of Teslin, after a candidate withdrew.
Gord Curran has been acclaimed as mayor.
Two current councillors aren’t running again, but three have put their name forward.
Six candidates are on the ballot for council: Marina Hansen, Robert Hassard, Kelly Howard and incumbents Luc Johnstone, Juanita Kremer and Jeff Myke.
The News circulated questions to all candidates we could obtain contact information for asking a little about them, what they see as the main issues facing their community, what their priorities will be if elected and what they bring to the table as a local government representative. Published below are the answers we received with edits for length and clarity in some cases.
Marina Hansen
Marina Hansen described herself as a “simple person” who works at Canada Post. The 59-year-old was born in Manitoba but has been in the Teslin area for the past 20 years. “This is the first time ever doing anything like running for council. I just felt like I wanted to sort of get involved and see what's going on in my town.” Housing is one of the top issues for Hansen. “We don't have any extra housing.” Loose animals, mostly dogs, running around the community is another primary concern. Hansen has been working with the mayor and RCMP to do something about the loose animals causing trouble in the community. “That's my biggest pet peeve.” Hansen is aware of the want to renew the community’s boundaries. Hansen hasn’t been a “big political person” but has a big voice. “When I find something I want to fight about, I'm very, very vocal about it.”
Robert Hassard
Locally raised Robert Hassard is vice president of the rec society and a highways foreman in Teslin. His three kids keep him busy, and he wants to keep Teslin busy. His interest is focusing more on the aging sewer system. Hassard wants to work with Teslin Tlingit Council and the RCMP to address drug problems in town. Another problem Hassard wants to solve is the fairly large staff shortages, specifically within the Village of Teslin. He wants Teslin to be a place where people want to come and raise children. “My priority is to try to bring the community a little tighter together like we used to be.” He wants to see upgrades to other infrastructure, like the ball diamonds. Hassard wants to work with the Yukon government to make improvements at the school. He brings a different outlook and a good understanding of relationships with locals to the table.
Kelly Howard
Kelly Howard came to Teslin from the south ten years ago and said it’s time to do something for the community. Alcohol and drug abuse are the biggest things facing the community, from Howard’s perspective. Howard is also seeing a slower response to ambulance call outs. Howard wants to be on council to be in the know. The drug and alcohol abuse issue and transportation for elders are key issues for Howard. “I think what I could bring to the table is a little bit of knowledge.” Howard used to work for the Yukon government in continuing care. Howard sees what needs help in the community on that front. “There's new stuff coming up all the time (like the Nisutlin Bay Bridge), and I don't even know half of it, so I'm hoping I can see some better ideas and see what can kind of work for Teslin, maybe outside the box.”
