Dean McKerracher says he is going to run for a fourth consecutive term as District of Elkford Mayor.

“After consultation with my spouse and family I know I have their full support. Therefore, I would like to announce that I will once again be seeking the support of the citizens of Elkford as I will be running for re-election in October,” McKerracher told e-KNOW.

“I would like to thank all of the voters for your support in the past elections and the confidence you have shown me these past 13 years. My love for the community and its citizens is stronger now than ever before and if you know me at all, you will know there isn’t anyone that boasts about Elkford more than I do,” he said.

Being a councillor first for three years, which McKerracher called “a stepping stone to learn how politics really work and to meet many of the provincial ministers and provincial politicians I still know today, helped to opened many doors for Elkford when I became your Mayor until today.

“I have been honoured and privileged to stand as the Mayor of this wonderful, vibrant, ever changing community for the past 13 great years. It has been a pleasure to work with great councils and all of the district employees.

“Our pride for our community is shown in our work and the successful projects we have accomplished like the new trail system throughout Elkford as well as our arena, swimming pool and park rebuilds and soon the Devonian concession stand rebuild, the new walking bridge and of course our wonderful new community centre; there are so many more I could list.

“I feel I need to run for re-election again this term as we will be losing two or maybe three (experienced) councillors this election. I feel it is important to have strong leadership going into this election to ensure a smooth transition to the new council,” he said.

The current Kootenay East Regional Hospital District board chair said “strong leadership has proven itself. Thirteen years ago we were a community still in debt; today we have a surplus of approximately $10 million and have completed so many projects with great success.”

McKerracher said Elkford has several key projects in the works and offing, which he’d like to see through to the finish.
“I look forward to the completion of the new district office, the completion of the water smart management cells to maintain equal water pressure to all the community, future upgrades to middle town’s water/sewer/curbs/gutters and repaving of the streets and upgrades to other streets as needed,” he listed, adding, “We’ll continue with training opportunities for junior staff to allow for in-house promotion opportunities when they arise due to retirement or vacancies. Continue with preparing for long range infrastructure. And to assist the seniors housing society with the proposed seniors affordable living complex.

“As your Mayor I sit as a director on the Regional District of East Kootenay board in Cranbrook and also on the Board of Directors for the Kootenay East Regional Hospital District which runs from Kootenay Lake to north of Golden and has 21 Directors. I have been the Chair of the KERHD for the past three years and was just recently re-elected for my fourth term as Chair. I am proud to say that with the help of our past MLA we were successful in securing the new MRI for our Cranbrook hospital. I would like to continue as the Chair as there is so much more we need to do for all of our Health care facilities in our region,” he concluded.

“Thank you and I look forward to you support in October.”

Lead Image: Mayor Dean McKerracher, left, bid adieu to long-time RDEK chief administrative officer Lee-Ann Crane last year. e-KNOW file photo

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