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Proudly Serving Viking, Irma, Kinsella, Bruce, Holden, Rural Beaver County & Surrounding Areas
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 Volume 48, Issue 38
Familiar Faces Four members of Viking council up for re-election after nomination day, while three others hope to unseat them Patricia Harcourt Editor
Viking Council will have four of its five incumbents running for re-election in the Oct. 20 municipal elections. Nomination Day was officially Monday, Sept. 22, with final nominations accepted until 12 noon. James Buttner won’t be directly running for mayor again but will vie for a position as councillor, along with fellow incumbents Cindy Lefsrud, Judy Acres, and Dana Ewashko. There are also three new candidates throwing their hats in the ring in this election, including Paul King, Cole Harasyn-O’Neill, and Timothy Goodison. Goodison registered his nomination papers on the final day of nomination on Sept. 22. Not running again is Julianna Merta, who has been in her first term on council and currently serving as deputy mayor until the election changes the council composition. Acres has decided to once again run for council after coming in by acclamation during the last term, and had also served several terms previously. The seven candidates will be competing for five council seats, as the separate electable mayoral race has been eliminated. Once elected, the five councillors at the organizational meeting will choose the mayor from amongst their ranks, similar to what is done in villages. Buttner will therefore be the last mayor in Viking to be elected as a separate council position.
SMITH VISITS CONSTITUENCY Premier Danielle Smith was in Camrose recently to meet with Camrose MLA Jackie Lovely, and Camrose constituents. Representatives came from Flagstaff County, Beaver County, Camrose County, the City of Camrose, and the Town of Viking. The Premier addressed questions from the floor as part of her Alberta tour.
Six nominees will compete for five Irma council positions Patricia Harcourt Editor
The Village of Irma has six candidates fielded for the Oct. 20 municipal elections. With only five needed to fill all the vacant council seats, it is enough to make an election necessary in the village. Six candidates have filed nomination papers to run for Irma Village Council as of the Sept. 22 deadline.
They include four incumbents (indicated by inc.) and two new candidates: Mervin Firkus (inc.), Richard Langley, Eric Nissen (inc.), Kelly Pauls, James Schubada (inc.) and Michael Soucy (inc.). Firkus and Nissen served as mayor and deputy mayor, respectively, in the current term that ends with the election. In villages, the mayor is elected from within the council on an annual basis at the organizational meetings.
Three current Holden councillors hoping for re-election in October Patricia Harcourt Editor
The Village of Holden is showing democracy in action with a list of eight candidates vying for five seats on the local council on election day. Following Monday’s Nomination Day, the list
includes three incumbents (indicated by inc.) and five new candidates: Mark Giebelhaus, John Markel (inc.), Tyler Beckett (inc.), Alan Ramshaw, Shawn Cole (inc.), Carl Marsh, Tammy Lynn Hill, and Graeme Duckworth. Alberta’s 2025 Municipal Elections will be held on Oct. 20.