Jon Petrie: Former radio manager joins Brooks’ race for mayor
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on August 27, 2021.
https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews Longtime Brooks media personality and current city councillor John Petrie has joined the race to become that city’s mayor. The former radio station manager joins longtime councillor Norm Gerestein in the race to replace outgoing mayor Barry Morishita this October. Morishita announced last week he will seek the provincial leadership of the Alberta Party when his municipal term ends in October. He has also stepped down as president of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association, which lobbies the province on behalf of cities and towns. Petrie is serving his first term on council and retired from his private occupation at the beginning of 2020. He told the News he wasn’t considering running for mayor, but the vacancy “People started to approach me, and yeah, I feel I can do a good job,” he said. One major issue appears to be a recently announced plan to use Brooks’ federal tax gas infrastructure grants to create a broadband internet system in the city of 15,800, which Petrie supports. Gerestein, who has served as councillor for 14 years, is opposed to the idea, saying it’s better handled by the private sector. 11-10
