Former Eston Junior Councillor gets elected in Eatonia

By Joan Janzen

On November 9th of 2020, nine candidates ran for town council in Eatonia, Sask., six of whom were voted in as the board members. Codie Cumiskey is one of those councillors and very likely is the youngest member of Eatonia’s town council. However, this isn’t Codie’s first rodeo. In other words, it’s not Codie’s first time to be on a town council.

“I went to Eston Composite High School, and when I was in Grade 11, a Junior Council Program was started in Eston. My dad was on the Eston Town Council for twelve years, and I was always kind of interested. But when they started the program, I jumped on it. I sat on that for over a year,” Codie explains.

It was an excellent learning experience for young Codie. “I just sat and observed the meetings. If they needed a younger person’s perspective, they would ask me for my input. It was interesting to see how a meeting was run. As a young person, I didn’t know all that town council does, and to see it first hand, I came to realize how big a role they played in the community,” she continued. Codie’s dad was also sitting on Town Council during that time. “I was very fortunate when I was on Town Council because everyone was very welcoming and did all they could to get me involved.”

Codie was also the vice-president of the SRC in Grade 11 and the president while in Grade 12. After going to college and beginning her career in Eatonia, Codie continued her pursuit of community involvement.

“I’m trying to do whatever I can for our community, and have been involved with the recreation board and the fire department. I love my community and how everyone is so involved here.”

Codie has only attended two council meetings so far but has already joined a few different committees. “I love to be involved any way that I can,” she said, and she encourages young people to get involved in their local recreation board or wherever they can. “It’s good for kids to get involved and see what it’s all about. I’d love to suggest having a junior council on the board. It would be a good idea going forward.”

Photo: Codie Cumiskey