Mayor & Town Council

Mayor Michelle McKenzie

Michelle McKenzie was born and raised in Maple Creek. She was first elected to Town Council in 2012 for a 4-year term as Town Councillor. In 2016, Michelle ran for a second term as Town Councillor and was re-elected. In May 2018, when former Mayor, Barry Rudd, retired, Michelle put her name forward to act as Inter-Mayor until the by-election. On September 12, 2018, Michelle was elected Mayor of the Town of Maple Creek for the remainder of the 2016-2020 term. Michelle was acclaimed Mayor on October 8, 2020 for a 4-year term.

Michelle has a certificate as a special care aid (currently called Continuing Care Aid), from Sask Polytech. She is currently employed with the Saskatchewan Health Authority at the Southwest Integrated Healthcare Facility. Michelle has been a Continuing Care Aid for 21 years.

She and her husband, Jerry McKenzie, have one daughter, Telysia. They are the proud grandparents to one grandson, Korbyn.

As Mayor, Michelle sits on all Committees of Council. She is also currently the co-chair of the Southwest Municipal Government Committee and the alternate Southwest Area Director for Municipalities of Saskatchewan.

Town Councillor - Betty Abbott

Betty Abbott was born in Maple Creek and raised on her family ranch. In 1982, she moved to town. It is safe to say her feet are firmly planted in this soil.

Following a year of Business School at Medicine Hat College, Betty spent 9 years working at our local Bank of Montreal. In 2004, Betty completed her Real Estate Courses and has all the necessary courses to be a Broker (Residential, Commercial, Farm, Real Estate Law, and Basic Appraisal). In 2009, she obtained her Brokers Licencing and opened her own Brokerage.

Betty also enjoys her recent work with the S.W. Saskatchewan Oldtimers' Association, Heritage Advisory Committee, and the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

She is the proud parent of three children and their families are her number one priority. She has three grandchildren whom she is happy to spend time with whenever she can.

Betty is the chairperson of Health, Planning and Development. She is also on the General Government and Transportation committees as well as returning to sit with the Heritage Advisory Committee and represent the Town of Maple Creek on the Cypress Hills-Grasslands Destintion Committee.

Town Councillor - Len Barkman

Len Barkman has lived in Maple Creek for 10 years. He has background in agriculture and farming and has spent his life working with youth and children in churches and camps. Len was the CEO at Cypress Hills Camp and has served on numerous church and school boards. He currently drives school bus for Chinook School Division and operates his own handyman business.

Len has been a volunteer fire fighter for numerous years as well as participated in mission trips to Mexico. He has coached basketball for the Junior and Senior level and also enjoys reffing the sport. Len loves to fix things and hunting big game in the fall.

He and his wife have five married children, two girls and three boys. Four of their children live in Alberta and one lives with her family in Maple Creek. They have fifteen grandchildren.

Len is the Chairperson of Utilities and Environment and sits on the Transportation and Parks, Recreation, and Culture committees.

Town Councillor - Tina Cresswell

Tina has lived in many different places in her life, but Maple Creek got its hold on her 18 years ago and has not yet let go. She has served on community boards since university and was elected as a school trustee in Boundary School District #51 in BC when her children were in elementary school. She remained active in every community her family lived in over the years and after moving to Maple Creek in 2005, she was elected to Town Council in 2009 and served until 2016. She was then elected to serve on Council again in 2021.

After attending schools in the United States, Spain and Canada, she received a Bachelor of Arts from Trent University, where she worked and taught after graduation. After a stint as a professional musician, she joined the business world, settling on a journalism career as both a reporter and editor in British Columbia. She and her family moved to Yellowknife, where she joined the Northwest Territories government as a communications and strategic planning specialist before moving south and eventually finding Maple Creek. She and her husband now own two businesses in Maple Creek, and have four children and three grandchildren.

Tina continues to write for pleasure and is an avid gardener and traditional rug hooker. She also serves on several boards in town, including the Maple Creek & District Chamber of Commerce and the Cypress Hills – Grasslands Destination Area, which she chairs. She has an abiding interest in local heritage and historic buildings, and sits on the Heritage Advisory committee. She chairs the Transportation committee and sits on the Health, Planning and Development and Parks, Recreation and Culture committees.

Town Councillor - Corrine Collura

Town Councillor - Shane Wurtz

Town Councillor - Leah Baratta