Mayor Nolan Crouse will take another kick at the mayoral bucket.
Crouse, a city councillor who ran for mayor in 2007, announced he would seek a second term in this fall's municipal election. He'd already confirmed his intentions in October, but decided to formalize it with an announcement.
“I had it in my mind that I would announce my intention to run six months before the election,” he said in a phone interview. “It was in fairness to the community and also in fairness to the council.”
According to his 2007 election website, Crouse moved to St. Albert in 1991 with his wife, Gwen, and three children. He was elected as a city councillor in 2004, where he worked on a number of committees, including the affordable housing advisory board and the St. Albert/Sturgeon intermunicipal development plan (IDP) committee. He ran for mayor in 2007, beating both former mayor Richard Plain and Garry Woo to get the top job.
In the 2007 election, Crouse ran on a platform that advocated sustainability through environmental, social and economic factors, which included trying to increase the non-residential tax base and promoting the arts and culture of St. Albert.
Crouse said he hasn't looked at creating a platform or election plan yet, saying his current business at city hall is keeping him occupied for the time being. However, he said he looked at notes from his last election over the Christmas season and is mulling over ideas.
“I want to focus on the mayor role as long as I can,” Crouse said. “I'm going to take some quality time and sit down and think about it.”
Although there are a number of issues currently on the council plate, Crouse said he wasn't setting his election platform until closer to the date, saying that the next few months of council would help determine the direction he wanted to take.
“We could have some surprises in the next six months,” he said. “The platform will be what's important from my perspective.”
Council is dealing with the proposed hybrid smart growth plan for the northwest annexed lands, a proposed affordable housing project for 70 Arlington Dr. and the IDP with Sturgeon County. As well, Crouse said budget negotiations will take place in May, making the next few weeks very busy.
“I have a lot of work right now,” he said. “After the first of June, I will sit down and think about it.”
He added that his family is supportive of his plans to run again, saying that has never been an issue for him.
“My family's always been supportive of what I want to do,” he said. “There's never been any criticism or anxiety from them.”
