Oxford Readies for a Special Council Election
Voters in Oxford will go to the polls once again, at the end of this month.
Oxford may have missed the excitement during the last round of municipal elections, but the town will be the centre of attention this month with a special election for town council set for January 30th.
Two council seats were left vacant last October when only four people offered to sit on council, but when nominations closed yesterday, six candidates opened a race for those last two seats.
The candidates include David Coté, Norma Estabrooks, Alfred King, Arnold MacDonald, Byron MacDonnell, and Chrystal McNutt.
The province’s election rules allow candidates to change their minds. The six have until 4:00 o’clock this afternoon if any choose to withdraw from the race.
Some are asking why six people are suddenly excited about town politics. The answer may rest with the Oxford Arena which has become a hot topic in the community.
The former town council closed the arena amid financial concerns and uncertainty over the impact of coronavirus regulations. A community group, led by the Oxford Lions Club, has offered to re-open the facility and operate the arena on a lease from the town.
When council did not jump in, without hesitation, supporters of the rink became critical, highlighting the vacancies in the decision-making process.
Such issues can be great motivators in the world of politics, both blessing and curse.
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