Sanchez seeks new term on Penhold council

PENHOLD - Another incumbent councillor has declared her intent to seek re-election in Penhold.

With nomination day looming on Sept. 18, the upcoming Penhold municipal election ballot already looks like it will be crowded.

Coun. Sharolyn Sanchez, first elected in 2013, has decided to join the growing list of councillor candidates.

"I really enjoyed my last four years," Sanchez said. "I really enjoyed working for the community, and working with the people."

She's learned a lot during her first term, she said. A particular highlight has been helping to build the community services advisory board from a small group of a few people to a group that numbers 15 to 20 people. The group's communication has helped foster collaboration between community groups and find more volunteers for town events.

But Sanchez doesn't feel like she's quite finished yet. She has another goal she'd like to accomplish, and that's part of why she's seeking a second term.

That goal is a desire to help the community address crime prevention, inspired by a recent conference.

"I'm looking to develop a safer communities committee or task force," Sanchez said. She'd like to see collaboration and a multi-faceted approach, inspired by methods that have worked in other communities but ultimately tackling the problem from a Penhold focus.

The administrative professional first decided to run in 2013 when she was at a personal crossroads. She loved living in Penhold, and her sister, former councillor Danielle Klooster decided to not run for another term. Sanchez decided the time was right to make her own run and was elected.

The main thing she's learned in the last four years? "That when it comes to the government, things take time," she said. You also need to be patient, diligent and make good decisions to help get things done."

She's hoping the voters of Penhold will see fit to return her for a second term. She said it's good to have a mix of experienced councillors and rookies, noting the steep learning curve that often accompanies the new role.

Sanchez is one of 10 declared council candidates, and, she, Kathy Sitter and Mike Walsh are the only three incumbents so far to announce a re-election campaign.

Sitter is familiar to Penhold voters after five terms on council, while middle school teacher Mike Walsh is finishing his first term. Joining the incumbent trio in seeking one of the six councillor seats are Shawn Hamm, a business owner of a marketing firm; Cameron Galisky, a local politically-involved youth; Melanie Radway, a mother of four; Len Istace, roads manager with Red Deer County and a volunteer coach; Robin Edwards, who works at the Penhold ATB; Tyrone Muller, a police IT analyst for the RCMP in Red Deer; and Ken Denson, who has spent 32 years as a fire medic.

So far the mayoral race has just two contenders -- incumbent Dennis Cooper, who has been in the mayor's chair for two previous terms and served as a councillor for three terms before that, and first-term councillor Mike Yargeau, who's looking for a promotion from the public.