(Submitted/Tara Muntain)

By Cam Lee

Melfort council candidate

Muntain seeks second term on Melfort City Council

Nov 12, 2024 | 10:29 AM

A councillor candidate in Melfort is seeking re-election.

Tara Muntain ran for council for the first time in 2020 and garnered the most votes of any candidate for councillor.

Muntain told northeastNOW she is running in this election for the same reason she chose to throw her hat into the ring four years ago.

“I want to help the people of Melfort have their voice heard,” Muntain explained. “I pride myself in being available for people to ask questions and then finding solutions or helping them know the approach to take.”

Muntain said her first term helped her learn the ropes of the position, and how administration works operating the city. She said her rookie term on council also helped her understand bylaws and navigate the inner workings of the city.

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Among the major topics she wants to see addressed over the next four years is taking responsibility for the city’s aging assets.

“We need to take care of what we have before spending more without a plan for how to take care of the new,” said Muntain.

In her opinion, the city needs to seek more money from federal and provincial governments to help maintain the city’s infrastructure. Muntain said Melfort “has been surpassed while other communities have received infrastructure money.”

Muntain said they have had to start repairing roads and water and sewer lines but having those projects cost-shared between governments would make things much more affordable for the City of Melfort.

Business recruitment and retention is another goal for Muntain should she be re-elected, and the city needs a more proactive approach, rather than reactive.

“We need to attract businesses into Melfort that will bring in more permanent people.”

Muntain said we should be proud of what we have in Melfort and be willing to build on it for the future.

Maintaining services while keeping things affordable for taxpayers is always a challenge for any council. Muntain said the city should always be looking for efficiencies in operating internal practices and create policies that will improve assets.

“Thinking outside the box can help ways to maintain the level of operations we want while spending less money doing it.”

Muntain is one of nine candidates for the six council positions in Melfort. Incumbent mayor Glenn George was re-elected by acclamation.

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Cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @northeastNOW_SK