A second candidate, Don Pelechaty, has put his name forward to run for the Mayor's seat of Portage la Prairie following Irvine Ferris' decision to not run.
Pelechaty explains his interest that inspired him.
"I've had a long love affair and hate affair with Portage la Prairie," says Pelechaty. "I think there are parts of Portage that are toxic. I want to straighten that up so we have a better future and brighter future. A lot of our energy is spent here in rehashing old problems, and I actually want to clarify the situation so we can work toward one simple thing. That's all I'm after. It's my passion in life to bring democracy into City Hall. We haven't got it."
He notes we worry about Afghanistan and Poland, but progress here in our city has not taken place.
Pelechaty outlines issues he'd like to see changed.
"The press is not allowed into the committee of the whole meetings," continues Pelechaty. "This group has been basically on board for 10 or 15 years -- some of them -- and even though there's tons of money available, provincially and federally, to access a public building like a City Hall, they have chosen not to make that terrible stairway to the second-floor council chambers accessible to the public. There are so many people here with hip and knee problems that they're absolutely behoved to do it, but they don't want the public in."
He says the public isn't being allowed to take part in learning information from the city.
"When we had the question and answer period, people used to come and ask a question, they would laugh at them and humiliate them," adds Pelechaty. "So, it hasn't taken the public of Portage la Prairie very long to know and realize that they're not welcome there, and that's why we don't get anybody coming out to council."
Pelechaty says people can consider voting for him due to the following points.
"I've had experience before," says Pelechaty. "I was on council in 1969, '70, '71 and '72. I followed it assiduously from that time on. I've written extensively for the Daily Graphic until basically a year ago. I'm quite knowledgeable about the workings of City Council and well known. We've been here since 1893 on the island, so I'm a Portage boy. I've been involved in a lot of different businesses, from meat-packing to cattle-buying, to the funeral business, to a hospitality business. I had a drug store downtown, so I'm pretty knowledgeable and cognizant of the problems of the merchant class, which I feel that council has shown that they don't care about the merchant class at all."
Election takes place on October 26th.