New Westlock, Alta., mayor praises voters for embracing 'new ideas' as LGBTQ crosswalk plebiscite looms

Westlock Mayor Jon Kramer on Jan. 11, 2024. (CTV News Edmonton)

A substitute elementary school educational assistant, marriage commissioner and former town councillor is the new mayor of Westlock, Alta.

Of more than 1,200 residents of the town of about 5,100 who turned out to vote Wednesday, 819 cast a ballot for Jon Kramer, beating out hopeful Robin Brett, who earned 452 votes.

Kramer, who was first elected as a town councillor in 2021, stepped down two months ago to run for mayor. He replaces Ralph Leriger, who stepped down in November after 10 years in the post.

Kramer, a father of two has lived in Westlock with his wife Kim since 2004 and a former associate pastor at the town's Alliance church, told CTV News Edmonton on Thursday he's encouraged by his "great team" on council and with the town's administration -- a group he calls "cohesive, pulling in the same direction."

"As I went door to door in the last month here campaigning, a lot of what our focus has been on is just seeing that Westlock remains an inclusive community, and we know (people)throughout the province is well aware of our town," Kramer said. "Westlock is an incredible community. It's kind, it's caring. The big turnout that we did see ... that's more than our regular municipal election, so we knew a lot of folks were on board with that."

David Truckey won the byelection vote for the council seat vacated by Kramer with 615 votes, beating second-place finisher Benita Pedersen, who received 255 votes, and three other hopefuls.

When asked about an upcoming plebiscite on a proposed new bylaw that would restrict the town 72 kilometres northwest of Edmonton to flying just municipal, provincial and federal flags, and to limit all crosswalks to a white-laddered pattern -- a move proposed by a group in November five months after a crosswalk was painted in a council-approved celebration of the LGBTQ2S+ community -- Kramer said the sizable turnout for the byelection speaks to how willing the community is to embrace changing values.

Town council in late November put the decision on the petition for a new bylaw to a plebiscite — a direct vote by all people eligible to vote in the town — at the end of February.

"This is what it looks like for a community to give birth to new ideas and grapple with what it means to be inclusive," he said.

"The turnout that we had last night, over 1,200 people, it speaks to the fact that it's resonating with our community. People are doing what they can to speak for those who are marginalized.

"We're heartened by the turnout that we've had, and we're optimistic when the plebiscite bill comes and our community will lean into inclusivity in all the different ways and shapes and forms it takes place."

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Kerry McAthey