Swalwell resident Christopher Morton is running for the Division 2 seat on Kneehill County council in the upcoming municipal election.
Morton has served as a volunteer Kneehill County firefighter for the last 10 years and has been involved with numerous organizations, including the Linden-Acme Soccer Association, the Swalwell Hall Board, and the Linden Playschool Association. He says he feels compelled to serve his community when there is a position which needs to be filled.
“Being a councillor is about listening and representing the interests and concerns of residents to the council, and not the other way around,” he said in a press release.
He believes the money spent by the county belongs to the residents of Kneehill and councillors should consult with residents regarding spending, and has been disappointed at a lack of consultation.
Morton hopes to make division meetings a priority if elected, noting there have been no divisional meetings within his area over the last four years, as well as provide residents with accountability and transparency in decision making through consultation and accessibility to the public.

Shannon Laprise is running for the Division 1 seat on Wheatland County council in the upcoming municipal election.
She has a business background and has a track record of improving business processes and reducing costs, and feels her experience makes her an excellent candidate for a position on council.
“My various roles have taught me the importance of working collaboratively with a team, while respectfully questioning proposals or policies to ensure the group comes to the best decisions,” she said in a press release.
Through her business career, Laprise coordinated the modernization of processes and implemented a company-wide performance tracker. She has also farmed alongside her husband for the past 17 years. Laprise says living, farming, and raising children in Wheatland County has been a privilege, and has taught her the importance of community.
If elected, Laprise hopes to attract more business to Wheatland County to help increase tax revenue while keeping the agriculture industry strong. She also hopes to keep towns and hamlets attractive and viable, and enrich communities through the power of their residents.
She is always looking for ways to be more efficient and keep costs within reason, and welcomes an inclusive and open relationship with Wheatland County citizens and neighbours.
Laprise looks forward to working with the successful councillors--both acclaimed and elected--to build upon the successes council has achieved to date.