The mayor of La Ronge has been officially acclaimed as the Saskatchewan Party candidate in northeast Saskatchewan.

Thomas Sierzycki has been the mayor since 2009 — but plans to battle incumbent Cumberland MLA Doyle Vermette of the NDP in the next provincial election.

Sierzycki admits a lot of town residents have asked him whether his run at provincial politics will distract him from his work as mayor.

“Speaking to different individuals from all party backgrounds, the question was am I still going to invest the time that I need to as being an effective mayor. And, absolutely, this is what the people chose me to do and this is the job that I need to do. Other things will have to come when I do have some spare time. And I’m sure the lines will always mesh because when there’s an opportunity that I can move La Ronge or northern Saskatchewan forward, I’ll take that opportunity.”

Sierzycki says he will remain mayor until at least October of next year, if the next vote goes ahead as scheduled in November 2015.

“So, currently, I’ll remain mayor up to October — assuming that the election is called in November — which at that time I’ll be vacating the seat with a leave of absence. The deputy mayor will take over. However, the priority remains La Ronge as the mayor.”

Next year’s federal election could easily force the provincial vote to happen in April 2016. In either case, Sierzycki says the deputy mayor will continue to serve as the mayor until the next municipal election in the fall of 2016.