(submitted photo/Kerry Skowronski)

By Cam Lee

Nipawin mayoral candidate

Skowronski seeking to improve crime and homelessness in Nipawin mayoral run

Nov 6, 2024 | 10:47 AM

Crime and safety are the top priorities for Nipawin mayoral candidate Kerry Skowronski.

The local business owner and former councillor told northeastNOW she would like to lobby the provincial government for more funding to create more opportunities for rehabilitation, and private programs she said have greater success rates.

Skowronski said tackling the addictions issues around Nipawin would help with the homelessness situation in the community.

“I think mental health is something else that needs to be addressed as I think it factors in with the addiction and the homelessness crisis that we’re facing,” said Skowronski.

She said the council on which she served, from 2016 to 2020, represented the community very well and did their best to be financially responsible. Skowronski is concerned about the level of spending in the municipality heading into this election.

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Teamwork is very important to a good council, said Skowronski. She completed the Municipal Leadership Development Program and spent one year as Deputy Mayor in Nipawin. Skowronski chaired the Protective Services Committee for all four years of her term on council.

Skowronski moved to the community 14 years ago and lives and works in the downtown core.

“I see first-hand a lot of the challenges that we’re facing, a lot of the people out-and-about all hours of the day and night.”

She said she is aware of the problems in the community, and her top priority is to take on mental health and addiction, and that will help issues with crime and homelessness. However, she said support is needed from the provincial government to make that happen.

Skowronski also voiced her concern about the stresses on emergency services and health care workers, and the dangers they face every day. She would like to see more support for those workers.

Skowronski will square off against incumbent Marlon Zacharias and Brian Starkell in the election Nov. 13.

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Cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @northeastNOW_SK