By MATT MURLEY
Special to The Appalachian
PORT AU PORT EAST – Municipal elections across the province will take place on Sept. 28th from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The following are some of the confirmed candidates seeking election. Not all candidates responded to inquiries before press deadline.
James Cashin Jr.
James “Jim” Cashin Jr. has served 16 years on Town Council — the last four as Mayor and the previous eight as Deputy Mayor. He’s proud of what they’ve accomplished on council and the projects that have come to fruition. Having recently retired, he has more time and energy to dedicate to helping the town grow and prosper in all possible ways.
Jan Crane
This is Jan Crane’s first time running for Town Council. Though she is new to local politics, her deep roots and recent work with seniors and on school councils have given her a connection with the community and with the issues they face. She plans to be a strong advocate, ask tough questions, and speak up on important issues.
Koren Hunt
This is Koren Hunt’s first time running for Town Council. She’s happy with what past councils have done but wants to take a more proactive role in the future of the town. She feels like the town can’t grow without change and she wants to be a part of that change — a new voice for the people. She’s worried about outmigration and wants to work with other towns to create an environment where seniors are taken care of and youth are able to thrive so that they’ll remain here to help the town grow.
Gordon Johnston
Gordon Johnston has served on Town Council before. While he’s very satisfied with the work that’s been done, there are important projects that remain unfinished that he would like to see through to completion. He has plans to improve the town’s roads and water supply but he believes that people will vote for him based on what he has done in the past, not on what he plans to do in the future.
Michael McCann
Michael McCann has served on Town Council for a total of eight years. He’s a big advocate for seniors — particularly affordable transportation and accommodation — but also for the community at large and other surrounding towns that rely on each other. He wants to encourage people to get outside; for local people to explore their own backyard and for tourists to see what the Port au Port Peninsula has to offer.