Two more incumbents will seek re-election in the upcoming municipal campaign.
Couns. Patricia Ross and Bill MacGregor have announced they will seek another term at the Abbotsford council table. They join Mayor George Peary and fellow Couns. Simon Gibson and Les Barkman who also plan to run.
Three more incumbents, Couns. Moe Gill, Dave Loewen and John Smith, have yet to officially confirm their intentions.
Coun. Lynne Harris will not seek re-election.
Ross has served on Abbotsford city council for 17 years and is currently the chair of the Fraser Valley Regional District. She also sits on the Abbotsford/Mission Water and Sewer Commission, as well as restorative justice, environmental advisory and solid waste committees.
“I am running because I believe I bring a unique background and perspective in sustainability. I’ve been trained nationally and internationally on ways to balance the economy, environment and social needs,” Ross said.
Ross believes the top two issues facing voters this year are the upcoming P3 water referendum and the controversy surrounding garbage incinerators.
MacGregor agrees that the P3 water referendum, seeking approval from the public to enter into a public-private partnership to create a new water source and treatment centre at Stave Lake at a cost of $284 million, is a key issue, but he feels “taxation at all levels of government” is the other important topic of debate.
“We need to take a leadership role , as the taxation and funding model is broken,” said MacGregor.
This will be MacGregor’s second municipal election campaign as he is finishing his first three-year term on council.
Five of the seven Abbotsford school trustees have so far confirmed their plans to seek re-election in November.
Korky Neufeld, Preet Rai, Cindy Schafer, John Sutherland and Shirley Wilson are all seeking another term on the board of education.
Uultsje DeJong said he has not yet made a firm decision, and Joanne Field was not available for comment before press deadline.