Elaine Manzer

I am Elaine Manzer and am running for the position of mayor of the Town of Peace River.

I grew up on a farm close by, then taught and was a principal for about 38 years with most of the time spent at Peace River High School and Peace Regional Outreach Schools. During my educational career, I served on a variety of committees to help serve my education community of students, teachers and families. This has continued in my municipal experience as an elected representative over the past eight years as deputy mayor.

It has been a large learning curve. It has involved serving on a variety of committees and boards including the Municipal Planning Committee, Mighty Peace Watershed Alliance, Regional Library Board, Peace Regional Waste Management Company, Peace River Aboriginal Interagency Committee including the Truth and Reconciliation sub-committee, Peace Regional Healthcare Attraction and Retraction Committee, Northern Alberta Elected Leaders and others.

Within these groups I have not only learned more about our region and other municipality’s perspectives but also been able to both advance Peace River’s view and needs to our region and province including the need to have a provincial trailer equipped with flood prevention equipment re located to Northern Alberta.

As mayor my priorities include term planning for basic infrastructure assessment and funding, stable residential and business neighbourhood infrastructure renewal planning and funding, thoughtful budget processes that balance needs and wants with costs of services, renewed public engagement including some continued use of Zoom for some meetings, and regional partnerships to improve the town and region’s attractions.

Peace River has unique infrastructure challenges but needs to move forward with plans to continue as a healthy, vibrant community.

Peace River is in a beautiful location and we need to move forward with its tourism possibilities that can help to refresh business opportunities.

We need to continue to support and promote our medical and educational opportunities.

We are a diverse community but need to recognize there is always work to be done to make everyone feel included.

I hope to be elected to serve Peace River as mayor and look forward to working with a diverse group of councillors who are thoughtful, forward thinking and who have the best interests of Peace River in mind.

Other candidates for mayor: Normand Boucher and Tom Day. Profiles will be published if received.