The three candidates who ran for mayor during the 2020 municipal election spent a combined $21,502.64, according to election campaign expense and contribution disclosure documents posted to the city’s website.
John Kot spent $4,872, Nancy Nash spent $1,040.47 and Fraser Tolmie spent $15,590.17 during their respective quests to become — or remain — mayor of Moose Jaw.
As MooseJawToday.com reported earlier, the sitting city councillors spent more than $20,000 during last year's municipal election.
Nancy Nash
Nash — who came in third with 287 votes, or 4.96 per cent — spent $329.66 on advertising, $167.81 on office supplies, $60 on salaries/benefits, $333 on signs, $50 for a notary fee, and $100 for the nomination form.
Nash did not receive any donations or contributions.
John Kot
Kot — who came in second with 2,316 votes, or 39.99 per cent — spent $4,088.70 on advertising, $6.30 on office supplies and $777 on lawn signs.
The contributions he received included Joanne Kot ($200), Deb Higgins ($200), Brad Balerud ($500), Brian Swanson ($350), George Fowler ($350), Scott Evans of JRCA Holdings ($350), Gwen and Brent Cowie ($500), Bob Calvert with R2J2 Holdings ($500), Ad Group International ($500), the Moose Jaw Express ($777) and Dale Woo ($500).
Fraser Tolmie
Tolmie — who was re-elected with 3,189 votes, or 55.06 per cent — spent $80.97 on office supplies, $242.33 on meetings, $4,520 on media consultation with JFM Productions, $5,306.58 on brochures and mail-outs with Minute Man Press, $733.36 on election sign decals with Minute Man Press, $334.78 on an election banner with Minute Man Press, and $1,155 on newspaper advertising with the Moose Jaw Express.
He also spent $1,996.48 on digital and radio advertising with CHAB, $174 on gas, $500 for a campaign manager, $22.68 for postage, $395.80 for lawn sign stakes and lumber, and $128.19 for internet, for a total of $15,590.17.
However, Tolmie reused 100 lawn signs from 2016 that were valued at $1,018.60, reused 10 large single-sided 4x4 signs from the 2016 election valued at $489.06, and received an in-kind donation for digital billboard advertising valued at $440, for a total in-kind and reuse value of $1,947.66.
Therefore, Tolmie’s total expenses — including in-kind donations, previous election material and deposit — were $17,537.83.
The campaign spending limit during last year’s municipal election was $25,417.50, which means Tolmie was $7,879.67 below the limit.
Since Tolmie spent $15,590.17 — excluding the in-kind donations and previous election materials — and received $15,384.75 in donations, he was over budget with a deficit of $205.42; he covered this deficit himself according to his disclosure documents.
The contributions Tolmie received included a carry-over of $1,484.75 from the 2016 election, $500 from Larry Gregga, $300 from Bill Golding, $500 from Doug Dooley (McDonald’s), $500 from Jeff and Ashley Street (Streets Steakhouse), $1,00 from Sam Shaw (C&S Builders), $1,000 from Bob Dougal (Golden West Trailer), $1,000 from Greg Simpson (Eagles’ Wings Aviation), $1,000 from Wally McReady (family donation), and $500 from Darrell Markin.
Other donations Tolmie received included $1,000 from Bryan Roach (NorthStar Concrete), $1,000 from Bill Jameson and Robin Gilroy (JGL), $1,000 from Don Howe (Tim Hortons), $1,000 from Chad Taylor (Moose Jaw Toyota), $1,000 from Bill Babey SCL Holdings, an in-kind donation of $440 for the digital sign from Bill Babey SCL Holdings, $1,000 from the Moose Jaw Fire Association, $1,500 from Praveen Chander (Imperial Distillery), and $100 from Dale and Marlene McBain.
All the expenses can be found at moosejaw.ca.
Editor's note: this article originally listed a donation to Fraser Tolmie's campaign as coming from the Moose Jaw Fire Department. It should read the Moose Jaw Fire Association, as has been corrected. The information was reported in error by the campaign to the city but has reportedly been corrected on record.
