Two new candidates have put their name forward for this fall’s municipal election, and one has changed his mind about running for mayor.
Current Mapleton councillor Mike Downey had filed earlier this year to run for mayor, but he re-filed recently, choosing instead to again run for council.
The move seemed to coincide with the filing of current councillor Bruce Whale, who is seeking the post of mayor in the Oct. 25 election.
Downey told the Advertiser he has been encouraging Whale to seek re-election for some time and when Whale expressed an interest in seeking the mayor’s seat, he decided to run for council instead.
“I have a lot of respect for him,” Downey said of Whale. “If that’s what it takes to have him there, then I am fine with that.”
Downey stressed if he and Whale ran for mayor, one of them would definitely be eliminated from the council horseshoe.
“I feel strongly enough to have Bruce there,” Downey said.
In addition to Downey, those who have filed for Mapleton councillor, as of July 22, include Richard Brimblecombe, current councillor Jim Curry, Neil Driscoll, Dan McIntyre, and John Slot.
