Former mayor Henry Dayday joins Saskatoon mayoral race

Former mayor Henry Dayday announced this afternoon that he will run again this year.

"If we are again to become a city that shines, we need a change of leadership," he said at a press conference in Saskatoon today.

"We cannot afford more debt, or lack of services, or paying higher servicing costs because of interest."

Dayday, 76, served as mayor of the city from 1988 to 2000.

In a lengthy speech, Dayday criticized the city for ignoring basic services like roads and infrastructure. He also criticized the city's current debt levels.

Dayday singled out costs associated with the Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan,describing the project asthe "biggest mess we've ever seen in the history of the city."The gallery is currently behind schedule on construction, and is over its budget of $84.6 million.

He believes the public should have been consulted before the project began, and urged the city to be more transparent about the the costs.

The city's potholes were also a major focus of Dayday's speech.

"This is a crisis, because the drivers are driving every day and know exactly what the conditions of the streets are, and theirsafety is often compromised," he said.

"This is a crisis because we have not considered our basic services a priority."

Dayday said he decided to run after he was encouraged to do so by the public.

During his term in office, he said Saskatoon's debt was low, and its reserve levels were high. He's not sure how the city will be able to pay for its current debt levels.

He declared his candidacy in the 2012 municipal election, but pulled out of the race before voting day, not wanting to split the vote. Today, he said he plans on finishing the race this time around.

"If anybody else announces that's not going to deter me from running," he said.

He added that he had heard that another candidate was set to join the race, but would not say who it was.

On May 19, Dayday called another press conference where he questioned the current city council's bylaw which gives them a budget for communications expenses.

In 2012, city council passed a bylaw giving 10 city councillors a $10,000 communications allowance and the mayor a $120,000 allowance, which the majority of was spent on a chief communications officer.

If elected, Dayday said he would attempt to repeal the bylaw and refuse to accept the allowance.

Dayday will be running against incumbent Mayor Don Atchison and Councillor Charlie Clark.

• Saskatoon Councillor Charlie Clark launches mayoral run

• Ex-mayor hints at another run, challenges communication allowance

The municipal election will be held Oct. 26.