Councillor Darcy Skarsen has been appointed as the new deputy reeve for the Municipal District of Bonnyville, taking his oath of office during the November 12 council meeting.
Skarsen, who has been on council for seven years, expressed both honor and enthusiasm for stepping into the role for the first time.
“I’m honored to be the deputy reeve,” said Skarsen. “It’s my first time as deputy reeve in my seven years on council. I am looking forward to it.”
The deputy reeve position comes with additional responsibilities, including chairing Committee of the Whole meetings with participating in high-level discussions alongside the reeve. Skarsen noted that one of his immediate tasks was chairing the recent budget deliberations, which he described as a highlight of his new role. He will also attend meetings with provincial ministers and other key stakeholders.
The council recently changed the deputy reeve term from six months to a full year to provide greater consistency. Skarsen explained that the shorter term previously led to uneven experiences for officeholders, with the October-to-April term involving more activity, such as attending Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) conventions and other significant meetings, while the March-to-October term had a lighter schedule due to summer breaks.
Skarsen will serve as deputy reeve until the municipal election in October 2025.
