Quaint remote town in the middle of nowhere seeking a new mayor – but NO ONE wants to run…so would you do it?
A REMOTE and charming town is seeking a new mayor but nobody wants to step forward for the job.
Time is running out for the beautiful hamlet of Kyle in Saskatchewan, Canada, to find a replacement as its current leader steps down.
The remote town, famous for uncovering the 12,000 year old bones of a woolly mammoth, faces an issue as its municipal elections are just a few weeks away but their mayoral ballot remains empty.
Its current leader, George Williams, will retire and end his three year reign next month.
Kyle’s 400 residents will also need to elect a new councillor to complete it’s leadership team.
The town faces this issue as the population has reportedly been dwindling.
Kyle’s precarious election on 13 November has already been dealt setbacks.
Two previous attempts to secure a candidate have failed.
Kyle’s Chief Administrative Officer, Amber Dashney, explained why she still had hope despite these hurdles, according to local station CKOM.
Dashney said: “It’s a little concerning, but I am confident that someone will step forward.”
She also revealed what action Kyle’s council would take in a meeting if the mayoral slot remains vacant.
Dashney said: “At that meeting we will decide on a date for a byelection, and we will continue calling a byelection until we fill the mayor spot and the other councillor spot as well.”
This issue has not been unique to Kyle as the former President of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, Gordon Barnhart, revealed that other local communities face similar problems.
He explained these smaller towns can find it hard to consistently find enough people to fill local councils and leadership positions, per CKOM.
Barnhart said: “I’m not sure that it’s common, but it’s not unusual.”
He encouraged people to fill these all important positons.
Barnhart added: “It is really a dedication to your community where you feel that you can make a difference.”