Olguin to re-offer for second term on Merritt City Council

Manuel Olguin has announced that he will seeking a second term on Merritt City Council.

Olguin is the first sitting member of council to declare their intentions for the upcoming municipal elections slated for October, joining Mayor Mike Goetz, who announced in May that he would be seeking a second term as mayor.

Elected in 2022, Olguin was second in vote count with 1195 votes (10.19%),  behind councilor Adam Etchart, who is also expected to announce his re-election bid in the future.

Olguin told Q101 News that after giving it careful consideration, he was excited to run for a second term.

“It was easier to announce my candidacy in 2022 than it was for the upcoming election, because I did not know what to expect,” joked Olguin. “Now after four years, I know what the job entails, and after careful consideration, I want to announce my decision to let my name stand for a second term, serving the residents of Merritt. ”

Olguin said that while his first four years were busy, he is happy about the current council has done in four key areas of governance.

“Over the past four years, I have been proud to serve Merritt during the most challenging and important periods of the city’s history,” he stated. “We (current council) have made meaningful progress in flood recovery, infrastructure planning, asset management, and most importantly, financial stability within the city and I want to continue working on these issues to make life better for our citizens of Merritt.”

The nomination period for the upcoming civic elections will begin September 1 with the close of nominations set for September 11. Voters will go to the polls to elect the next council on October 17, with advance polls open on October 10 and 14.