Nearly 30 years after serving as a city councillor — or aldermen as they were called — Clive Tolley is returning to the city council table as Moose Jaw’s 41st mayor.
Tolley — one of nine candidates who vied to become mayor — was named the winner after the byelection concluded on Nov. 3. He sat in third place after the first two polling stations reported in but jumped into first place after the third polling station closed and remained in that position after the final two stations reported in.
Tolley and Sam Morrison were tied with 774 votes apiece in the fourth round, before Coun. Crystal Froese jumped into second place in the fifth and final round.
The mayor-elect received 1,290 votes out of 5,999 ballots cast, or about 21.5 per cent of the total vote, and beat Froese by 41 votes.
The votes cast are not official until the city clerk’s office verifies the count and releases the data.
Tolley previously served on city council as a councillor in the last 1980s and early 1990s. As mayor, he will serve until 2024.
For further information about Tolley's vision and goals for the city, you can read his responses to several Q&As he was asked during the byelection.
A close election
“That’s an incredibly close election. I can’t believe how close that (was),” Tolley said in council chambers afterward.
There was some anxiety in the Tolley household as they saw how tight the race was, which is why they didn’t drive to city hall until all the polling stations had reported in, he explained.
Any of the top five candidates — Sam Morrison, Froese, Tolley, Mike Simpkins and Coun. Heather Eby — could have won, Tolley said, which is why he felt so fortunate to win. He thought that his experience, leadership skills, being a hometown boy and desire to enhance River Street helped secure his tight victory.
“It’s (being mayor) something I’ve wanted to do. I love my city and I’m passionate about it, but I’m humbled and thankful that there’s good candidates and I’m the one that came out on top,” he continued.
A skilled negotiator
The mayor-elect is a professional chartered mediator and arbitrator. Tolley noted that he is a problem-solver, and many issues need addressing in Moose Jaw.
“In mediation, you try and help the people make a decision, but the decision is up to them. And then in arbitration, the … panel of arbitrators makes the decision, so I think both of those skills will be useful,” he added.
Low turnout
City hall estimated that there were 25,800 total voters in Moose Jaw. With 5,999 unofficial votes being cast, that means roughly 23.2 per cent of the electorate voted, similar to the 2020 municipal election.
Tolley had mixed feelings about the low voter turnout. He thanked those who cast a ballot, while he was disappointed that few people participated in the democratic process. During the campaign, he encouraged many people to vote. Even if they didn’t vote for him, he still wanted them to play a role in the process.
First priorities
Tolley joked that his first order of business would be to find a comfortable chair and acquire a wireless headset since he would be on the phone regularly. After that, he would listen to city administration about the current issues and what needs to be addressed.
Revitalizing River Street is Tolley’s No. 1 priority, so he plans to meet with the owners of the vacant lots on that street to learn their plans for developing that land. He also wants to ensure the agri-foods industrial park can grow and help restore residents’ faith in city hall.
“As a leader of this (council) group, I’m hoping that we can accomplish as much as possible during this next three years,” he added.
Politics in the family
Serving in municipal politics runs in the Tolley family.
His mother Marion — who died in 2018 at age 95 — was elected a councillor in 1979 and served for several terms in the 1980s. She was perhaps best known for standing in front of a bulldozer to prevent the demolition of Victoria School, the first school built in the North West Territories before Saskatchewan was a province.
Tolley thought his mother would be proud of him for becoming mayor. She supported his campaign when he ran for alderman by giving him financial help and telling every woman she knew to vote for him.
She also happened to be a staunch social democrat, and while he isn’t one, Tolley added that he is still proud to follow in her footsteps.
Clive Tolley will likely be sworn in as mayor during the Nov. 8 council meeting.
