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Port votes Saturday-check here after the poll closes for results

Saturday is voting day in Port Clements, as the village goes to the polls to select one new councillor.Two candidates, Stephen Foster and Tom Quinn, are seeking the position. The winner will serve on council until the next regular municipal elections in November 2011. The by-election was required due to the resignation of Naureen Hughes-McMullon.Voting takes place in the seniors' room at the multi-purpose complex between 8 am and 8 pm Saturday (April 10). Voters must be residents or property owners in Port Clements, at least 18 years old and Canadian citizens. Voters will need to produce identification.Twenty people voted in the advance poll held March 31, said chief election officer Heather Nelson-Smith.Election results will be posted at www.qciobserver.com as soon as we get them.AThe Observer asked both candidates to submit a statement concerning why each wants to be elected. We publish them here, in their own words.Stephen FosterWhen anyone considers running for local government, the first question they often hear is, "Why would you want to take on that trouble?" I have heard it myself.The simple answer is that I believe that I have something to offer to our Village. As a local small business owner, I have seen success and I have seen failure. I would like to see far more success and far less failure. In order to achieve this goal, we need to establish a vision for our community. Where is it that we want to be in ten years? In twenty years? In one hundred years? How will our citizens be employed? What services will we need? Do we want to grow, or are we happy as we currently exist? Only by knowing where we want to go, will we be able to get there. Having been a strong advocate for long-term planning in the corporate world, I would like the opportunity to bring this experience to our municipality. I understand that there are many issues facing our community and that sometimes those immediate concerns cause some people to lose focus. But, those short-term decisions should always be guided by the principles of any organization's long-term goals. So, let me go to work for you. Let's have the Village of Port Clements working for our citizens. On election day, I ask for your vote. Thank you.Tom QuinnI first came to Port Clements in 1967 with my family, spending two summers working as a swamper out at Juskatla and the rest of the year as the Principal of the local school, teaching grades 8, 9, and 10. I came back to live here in 1979, after commuting daily to work in Juskatla from Masset for two years.While many may know of my working out at Juskatla, first in the warehouse, later as a driller/blaster, my service with the IWA union local, my teaching career, and my term as the local School Board Trustee, most will not know I grew up working in a small family farming business which I ran for eight years after my father died. I am also a long-time Masset Legion member, having served for two years in the British Air Force. After retirement I was first on the board of the Port Clements Historical Society, before being hired part-time as museum attendant.I have seen my children and my grandchildren grow up here, and while much has changed, basic issues have not: isolation, transportation, economic dependence and the threat of reduction of already minimal government services. At the same time, our advantages continue to shine: a resilient community spirit, central Islands location, and great potential for development. I believe my long history in the community and wide body of experience from entrepreneur to retiree have equipped me with the vision and knowledge to serve the village well as a councillor. Thank you.