As the federal election winds down this week, municipal elections for the Alberni Valley are heating up.

Three people have filed papers for the City of Port Alberni mayoral race, while six others have signed up to run for city council.

Potential candidates have until 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 10 to file their papers with either Russell Dyson for the City of Port Alberni or Bob Harper at the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) office. Harper is also taking nominations for school trustees.

Incumbent mayor Ken McRae has announced his intent to run again. McRae was first elected to city council in 1999 and won the mayor's seat in a by-election in 2001 when then-mayor Gillian Trumper vacated the seat to run in the provincial election.

McRae's competition so far includes Jacques Savard and Jen Fisher-Bradley. Savard ran for council in the 2005 election but was defeated. Fisher-Bradley ran for mayor in the last election but was defeated.

Savard said he decided to run for mayor this time because the mayor's position "is the proper place to actually make statements that will grab the attention of the populace."

Savard said the issues that he finds most relevant in the Alberni Valley include homelessness, preservation of greenspaces, noise pollution and the lack of proper infrastructure to accommodate newcomers.

Fisher-Bradley is running because she feels the city needs to focus on issues such as climate change, peak oil and how Canada will deal with a possible a recession as a result of the financial crisis going on in the United States right now.

"We need someone in there who is really environmentally conscious and I am that person," she said.

Six people had filed nomination papers for the six available city council seats as of Wednesday: Alice Schoffer, Danny Jones and John Douglas are all new to the process. Of the incumbent council members, Jack McLeman, Kenn Whiteman and Hira Chopra have already filed their nomination papers. Ike Patterson, Charles Mealey and Cindy Solda had not filed their papers by the time the News went to press.

"I have until four o'clock Friday," Patterson said. But he fully intends to file, he added.

Patterson has served two terms as a city councillor, and says his job is not done.

"Right now there are an awful lot of tough decisions to be made. Not that there hasn't been in the last six years. I feel I have something to offer; I've been here for 41 years and I know the community, the community knows me," he said.

"We have to have people (on council) who are genuinely concerned about the whole community and not just certain issues."

Mealey and Solda did not return calls by the News before the newspaper went to press.

Schoffer said she is running on a platform of social accountability. She was educated in the field of social services, business administration, fund development and management. Six years ago she was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, which has left her with limited vision. As a result, she has a guide dog named Turbo, who will figure prominently in her campaign.

"With my maturity, past education, experiences and personal challenges, I feel I would complement the position of city councillor," Schoffer said in a release.

Former school trustee Rosemarie Buchanan is throwing her hat in the ring for School District 70 elections. Buchanan was a trustee from 1980-83 and again from 1990-99. She moved away from the community for seven years but has been back for two years.

Those who had filed their papers by the end of the day Wednesday were incumbents John Bennie, Deb Dryden-Knoll, Larry Ransom and Glenn Wong. Newcomers were Bob Perkins and Mike Kuruliak.

There are six school trustee positions open for the City of Port Alberni, Areas A (Bamfield), B (Beaufort), D (Sproat Lake), E (Beaver Creek) and F (Cherry Creek). There are also three seats available for the District of Tofino, District of Ucluelet and Area C (Long Beach).

There are six seats waiting to be filled at the ACRD, but only five people have put their names forward so far, deputy chief election officer Wendy Thompson said.

Incumbents Stefan Ochman (Area A Bamfield), Mike Kokura (Area B Beaufort), Tony Bennett (Area C Long Beach), Penny Cote (Area D Sproat Lake) and Glenn Wong (Area F Cherry Creek) have all let their names stand for re-election. Patty Edwards (Area F Beaver Creek) had not filed papers by Wednesday night, but said she intended to do so on Thursday morning.

No other people had filed papers by the News's deadline. For up to date information leading up to the Nov. 15 municipal election, please visit www.albernivalleynews.com.

editor@albernivalleynews.com