The race for the mayor’s seat in the upcoming municipal election has heated up.

City Councillor Tara Veer, 35, announced she will run for mayor in October.

“I feel fortunate to have had the privilege over the past nine years to represent the people of Red Deer on City council. I have always tried to make the best possible decisions I could on behalf of the people I’ve had the great responsibility to represent,” she said. “I have worked diligently to address citizens’ concerns that have been brought to my attention and have honoured commitments that I have made during previous election campaigns.”

Veer was first elected to City council in 2004.

“I’m ready for a new challenge and an elevated level of responsibility in representing our public. With my fellow Red Deerians, council colleagues and City staff, I have been able to accomplish many things as a councillor. In order for me to fulfill the strong vision that I have with our citizens for the preferred future of Red Deer, I need to pursue a new mandate and a new opportunity to influence,” she said. “We are a small City becoming a much larger City very quickly. With challenges there are also opportunities and I think if we make wise decisions in the short term, in the long run Red Deer can live up to even greater possibilities than we’ve accomplished so far.”

She added she will release specific details regarding her platform and campaign in the near future.

“Leadership in general and the mayor’s role in particular is about public service. The mandate I seek is therefore a desire to serve the people of Red Deer in an elevated capacity, to be a strong ambassador on behalf of our great community, to establish and accomplish a shared vision for Red Deer and to position our community well for both now and in the future,” she said. “Our City is at a critical juncture and there are many current and emerging issues on the public agenda that your next council will need to weigh with great consideration.”

There’s been speculation for years regarding whether or not Veer would run for mayor, but she said it was just one year ago that she realized she wanted to take on the challenge.

“I actually had a moment and it was at the (Westerner) parade in July 2012 and I remember walking on the parade route on the streets of Red Deer. There was something that transpired within me that day where I just had this moment that walking amongst the crowd where I realized my life’s purpose was to serve the people of Red Deer,” she said. “I knew in my heart at that time that this was likely something that I would be pursing. I haven’t said anything until this time because as a council, we’re still in a governance position and I think it was important to keep the politics at bay until closer to the election.”

Veer joins City Councillor Cindy Jefferies, Chad Mason and William Horn in the race for the mayor’s chair.

“I’m going to say who I am and what I stand for. I’m running for Red Deer and not against someone.”

efawcett@reddeerexpress.com