By Leah Murray

Hamill announces a run for the mayor’s seat

Sep 13, 2017 | 5:06 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — There are now three candidates running for the mayor’s seat in the upcoming municipal election.

Former alderman John Hamill announced his intentions of seeking the top job on Wednesday. He joins Mayor Ted Clugston and local educator Scott Raible as candidates in the race.

Hamill was most recently an alderman on Council between 2010 and 2013.

He previously ran for mayor in 1998, but lost to incumbent mayor Ted Grimm.

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At the time, Hamill said he’d never run for the seat again, but has since had a change of heart.

The former alderman said he wants to bring back the Medicine Hat advantage by attracting oil and gas companies back to the city.

“There’s some reason they’re drilling in Saskatchewan,” he said. “There’s action and there’s very little here. What is happening just a couple hundred miles from here? What’s the difference? There must be something that’s got them there and whatever it is we’ve got to give it to them as well to get them back.”

Hamill adds he’d like to see the city adjust the way it sets utility rates too.

The city currently sets its rates based on an average of rates in similar sized cities in Alberta.

“There’s always somebody below if you do an average, why can’t we just lock ours in and use that?” asked Hamill. “Wouldn’t that be better?”

He adds he doesn’t think the administrative fees should be as high as they are and council should considering changing that.

Hamill has not formally registered as a candidate in the upcoming election, but has until September 18th at noon. He said he’s looking forward to the campaign and hopes it will be a clean race.