Mayor Charlie Clark to announce fall election plans Wednesday

Mayor Charlie Clark will announce Wednesday whether he plans to run for a second term in this fall’s municipal election.

Clark’s team released a media advisory Tuesday noting he will hold a news conference at the Sheration Cavalier on Wednesday to announce his intentions.

He’s so far declined to say what his plans for the Nov. 9 vote are, saying previously there were more important governing challenges facing Saskatoon.

Former Sask. Party MLA Rob Norris announced his challenge for the mayor’s chair in June, criticizing Clark for being “too passive” during his first term.

Clark was elected mayor in 2016 by a margin of 3,047 votes over Don Atchison, the city’s longest-serving mayor. Prior to that, Clark served 10 years as a city councillor for Ward 6 in the Nutana and downtown areas.

Nine of the 10 incumbent city councillors have indicated they intend to run for re-election. Ward 3 coun. Ann Iwanchuk announced in June she would be retiring from city council at the end of her term.