The Town of High Level has two new faces on its council after Leslie Bateman and Matthew Luengo were sworn in on June 22, 2026. The ceremony, held at the start of the regular council meeting, fills the two vacant seats left by former councillors Jori Zatko and Boyd Langford. With the oath of office complete, the seven-member council is back to full strength.
Residents went to the polls on June 1, 2026 for a by-election called after Zatko resigned and Langford stepped down to become a judge with the Alberta Court of Justice in March. The nomination period for the by-election ran from March 24 to May 4, overseen by returning officer Sandra Rendle. The town, home to about 3,900 people in northern Alberta, needed to fill the positions to keep council business moving.
Bateman and Luengo join a council led by Mayor Josh Lambert and Deputy Mayor Mark Liboiron. The other returning councillors are Belinda Forest, Nickoi Breierle, and Brielle Mercredi, all elected in the October 2025 municipal vote. Council meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month, with no meetings in July, August, or December.
The Town of High Level did not release vote totals or details about the new councillors’ platforms. With council now complete, residents can expect it to carry on with day-to-day work like road maintenance, community services, and other local priorities. The first test for the new members will be upcoming budget talks and planning for the months ahead.
More information on council meetings and agendas is available on the Town of High Level website.
