By Dana Reynolds

Coun. Martin Ring announces his mayoral candidacy

Jan 27, 2016 | 3:22 PM

Standing on his favourite walking spot at the mouth of the Rotary Trail, Coun. Martin Ring announced his intent to run for mayor in Prince Albert’s up-coming civic election.

“I feel that I have learned a lot over the years…I’ve learned to how to deal with a number of different issues and, again, I feel that I’m ready. I will be retiring in the very near future and I’m ready to take on the job full time,” Ring said.

A councillor for the past ten years, Ring felt the time is right to make the move for the big seat on council. He wants to focus on economic development, specifically bringing industrial businesses to town.

“I think we have to lean on some of our business partners within the community, use their connections to be able to invite business to our community,” Ring said adding he would reinstate the city’s economic committee as they haven’t met in a number of years.

Ring also believed the city needs to improve all forms of communication between provincial and federal governments and the surrounding rural municipalities.

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“I do have a relationship with Premier Wall, I’ve been able to speak with him. I’ve been able to speak with anyone of the MLAs; the MPs as well. I do have a very good working relationship with all of them,” Ring said.

He believed these relationships are important as it doesn’t matter who’s in power, these are the bodies who “hold the purse strings.”

Ring said P.A. deserved a mayor who is willing to communicate. He said, currently, residents have waited for three and a half years for and still haven’t seen any tangible results.

“I feel that we’ve had…too many meetings that we’re waiting for results from those meetings and we’re getting lots of that. We get the comment ‘I’m meeting with somebody. I’m going to be coming back to you.’ We need to get through that, we need to get the projects working,” Ring said.

During tomorrow’s, Jan. 28, state of the city address, Mayor Greg Dionne is expected to announce a large upcoming construction project.

The Prince Albert civic election is scheduled for Oct. 26, 2016. Both Dionne and local advocate Conrad Burns have announced their candidacies.

dreynolds@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @danitska