Mayor-elect John Higham to lead Sackville with 'fresh approach'

Sackvillemayor-electJohn Highamis looking forward to leading the town with what he calls "a fresh approach."

Highamdefeated his only opponent, former councillorVirgil Hammock, receiving more than 80 per cent of the vote. Incumbent mayor, Robert Berry, did not re-offer.

Higham, whoserved as a Sackville town councillorfrom 2008 to 2012, says he hadn't thought of running for mayor until people in the community approached him and suggested it.

"I was convinced that yes, we need to think of things differently and act quicker so I decided to run," he said in an interview on Information Morning Moncton.

Information Morning - Moncton6:59Mayor-elect John Higham

The town of Sackville has elected a new mayor.

His first priority as mayor will be to find out if there is some way to get Moloney Electric, where about 60 people have been laid off since Feb. 26,back up and running.

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"Unfortunately one of our long-term businesses here, Moloney Electric, has been shut down for a while and it doesn't appear to be any particular business reason, which is having a major effect on a lot of families in town," Higham said.

"That is one thing I'm investigating is how we might be able to get that entity going again."

Higham's second priority is to set up meetings with local MLAs and MPs to talk about infrastructure dollars for Sackville.

"We can see what we might be able to do about both climate change and other pressing infrastructure needs we have here."

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Sackville has dealtwith ongoing flooding problems, particularlyalongLorne Street and Route 106 in West Sackville.

'Fresh approach' to be 'more respectful'

Higham says his approach as mayor will be more collaborative, which is something citizens asked him for as part of his new strategy.

"It was a request of the community to be a little more respectful of each other and to listen to each other and to try to find different ways not just a preconceived notion of this is the way it has to be," he said.

"That's what I call the fresh approach which I think we got a pretty emphatic mandate to follow now."

Part of that approachis to encourage more young people and students from Mount Allison University to stay in Sackville and start small businesses.

"And we can keep them here for them to raise their families and build our economy... as opposed to going after large businesses which is one of the things I think we've failed at in the past."