Magrath Town Council candidate Q & A

Posted on October 2, 2025 by admin

By Heather Cameron
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Town of Magrath will be holding their municipal election on October 20 at the Magrath Senior’s Centre, with voting open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Advanced polls will be available Wednesday, October 15, 4 – 8 p.m. at the Magrath Town Hall.

The position for Mayor was secured by Byrne Cook via acclamation. 

Darryl Christensen, Kurt Fisher, Joanne Koegler, Cynthia Ralph, Travis Seaborn, Tavis Tidmarsh, and Mike Walkey are all pursuing a position on Council.

When asked why they wanted to get involved in this particular political arena and what the focus of their campaigns would be, the candidates offered the following responses:

“I have enjoyed working with Mayor Cook and the other council members that I worked with, and I have great respect for all of them. I have decided to run once more because I believe that I can still contribute to helping make decisions that will encourage growth in the town while trying to keep the culture and values that make the community a great place to raise a family and remain when the nest is empty.” – Darryl Christensen

“I’m motivated and encouraged by the continual growth that our town has seen in the last few years, and want to continue to see our town population and services grow. – Kurt Fisher

“Throughout my life, I’ve been drawn to service and to helping communities flourish. Although I’ve officially lived in Magrath only a short time, my roots run deep and my love for this community has spanned a lifetime. To me, Magrath is more than a location—it’s a safe haven in a hectic world, a place where children still play outside, where neighbours look out for each other, and where families can thrive.” – Joanne Koegler

“I am running for re-election. I decided to run for town council again because I care deeply about our community and believe that local government has the biggest impact on our daily lives. I wanted to be involved in the decision making that would affect my family and neighbours. The current council has accomplished a lot in the 4 years we have been in.  I believe there is more to do.  I commit to working hard, and listening to the voices of the community to keep Magrath a place where you would like to live and put down roots.” – Cynthia Ralph

“I think the next few years are going to be years of great change throughout the world. I am seeing the changes and it worries me. Our kids are going to have it harder than we have it now. So, I want to be on town council to help the organizations that call this town home work together with the town council to shape Magrath into self-sufficiency. I believe in the broken window theory. This theory was developed back in 1982 that basically suggests that visible signs of disorder and minor crimes in an urban environment encourages more serious criminal activity (as quoted by Google). I have seen this time and time again in this town. I have worked with the Diabetes Foundation since before covid, cleaning out the blue bins you see in Magrath and Raymond. I cannot tell you how many times I have gone to those bins, and if there is a scrap of clothing outside, a singular bag outside of the bins, it seems to give people license to not only go through everything, but make a complete disaster of the area. One bag outside of the bins brings so much extra work cleaning up the entire area. So my campaign is focused on Magrath’s “broken windows”. Where can we put our resources so that the small problems of today are not disasters in a few years?” – Mike Walkey

When asked what within their community needs attention, the candidates offered the following responses:

“Municipal government requires that the leadership work with a collaborative decision-making model, and anyone who serves on the council should realize that they are one of seven people that take decisions on what they believe to be in the best interest of the community.” – Darryl Christensen

“Overall, I would love to see our town continue its trajectory of growth which can potentially support more services in our community.  – Kurt Fisher

“As Magrath continues to grow as a bedroom community to Lethbridge, we must ensure that businesses can succeed and provide jobs while preserving the small-town safety and sense of refuge that make this community so special. This is the balance I want to help guide as a member of Town Council: growth and opportunity, hand in hand with preservation of our heritage, character, and that unmistakable Magrath charm.” – Joanne Koegler

“Magrath needs to continue with making it an inviting place to live.  We need to look at West side infrastructure as well as sidewalks, lighting and pavement throughout the town.” – Cynthia Ralph

“I think that the municipality is going in a good direction. But as I mentioned, there are some massive changes going on out there in the world. We need to both increase our self-sufficiency and see about opportunities to capture and expand our influence.” – Mike Walkey

The candidates also spoke briefly about what their approach to service would be if elected:

“I have a firm belief that through thoughtful, open-minded discussion, the best decisions can be made in the best interests of the town. I promise to do that to the best of my ability.” – Darryl Christensen

“If elected, I plan to assist the residents of Magrath by listening to and bringing their concerns to Council, and I would strive daily to represent citizens interests, not my own. I would work hard to assist in addressing any/all issues that come before Council, however in particular I can offer experience in community and neighbourhood planning that can help our Town continue to grow, and my professional background also helps me understand how to navigate the processes of municipal government, and the legislation that governs planning, subdivision and development.” –  Kurt Fisher

“If elected, I will work hard to: Support responsible growth that protects the character and safety of our town, champion youth and family programs that keep children active, engaged, and supported, encourage local small-business development, and foster the same community spirit and neighbourly connection that my Grandpa Hamilton loved and that first drew me here. I am ready to listen, to plan, and to work with you to keep Magrath the kind of town that we—and future generations—will be proud and safe to call home. My Grandpa Jay Walkey’s words still come to mind whenever I crest Windmill Hill: “This is the most beautiful valley in the world.” Today I know exactly what he meant. With your support, I hope to help keep it that way.” – Joanne Koegler

“If elected, I plan to focus on everyday issues that matter most to the people of Magrath.  That means working to improve roads, infrastructure and responsible budgeting.  I would like residents to feel heard and included in decision making. I will listen to concerns, and collaborate with Town Council to make our town an even better place to live, work, and raise a family. I would like people to know that I’m committed to working hard, listening to the voices of the community, and acting with integrity.  With their support, I hope to continue making a positive impact on our town-one that reflects our shared goals and strengthens our future.” – Cynthia Ralph

“I would like to look into the programs around town to help increase self-sufficiency. The town is known as “the Garden City”, but with so many young families moving in I don’t think we all have experience with back yard gardening. I would like to work with the museum and the library to bring programs to the town to help kids, parents, and those that have been around the block a time or two meet together to share what traditionally was grown in Magrath. We have access to irrigation, how are we using it, and can it be used better? Then those programs also need to address other issues, like; we’ve grown things, how do we preserve them? I think this is something that can really help the town and people as we all watch grocery prices increase.” – Mike Walkey

Travis Seaborn and Tavis Tidmarsh were unavailable for comment at the time of this interview.