After 20 years on council, Mayor Jeff McConnell has declared he is leaving municipal politics as of October 25, 2018. Jeff McConnell was elected as a councillor in October 1998. He was acclaimed twice as mayor, beginning his first term in 2010.
“When I first got on council, I had no goal of going for 20 years. None. I was thinking maybe two terms,” says McConnell.
For a long time, he was the young guy on council. But after two decades McConnell says simply, “I’m tired. My ability to address things properly and patiently is no longer there – it’s just time.”
An election?
Virden citizens are out of practice when it comes to electing a mayor. In fact, Virden hasn’t elected a mayor since 1995. Only single candidates have declared intentions to run for head of council for the last five election cycles.
The last mayor elected to council was Dick Armstrong in ‘95. Dave Reid, Stan Ward, and Bruce Dunning were acclaimed, and McConnell has been acclaimed twice.
That hasn’t been the case for councillors. When McConnell ran for his first council position in 1998, nine people ran for council.
“I finished fifth on the ballot, so it was a bit of a race. The former mayor lost that election. It was nice to be one of the six that got to be on council.”
Future candidate
While the role of mayor is demanding, time-wise and in many ways, he also says it is what you make of it.
Mayor and council are public servants, accountable to their community.
“Anybody on council gets phone calls, all the time. They’re accessible. The community wants them accessible. It could be one o’clock in the afternoon it could be 10 at night.”
McConnell adds that he doesn’t get as many calls as the councillors do.
“When there is a problem with their water at that point in time, you get the phone call.
“If there’s something going on in the street that’s bugging them, you get the phone call.”
What to expect
Over his 20 years serving on council, McConnell has noticed some changes. Elected representatives are understanding the role of council as a policy-setting board.
He explained that when he first came to council there was more day-to-day direction of staff.
“But that’s not the role.”
He says Council’s job is to set policy which gives the Chief Administrative Officer the tools, the directives, for the managing the town’s business.
To understand growth and what is good for the community, McConnell explains that commercial growth provides a strong tax base, while residential growth barely pays for itself. So, business is very important to a community in several ways.
“Our communities do better when we have a stronger commercial assessment. And if you think about it, that also reflects on the growth of the community. If you are going to have people living here, you want people working here, doing things here.
When McConnell moved to Virden he saw the Aud Theatre, the CP Station and other projects as quality of life indicators. He says, “We are wise to maintain them as long as we can.”
Looking for candidates
For anyone who comes to a council position this fall, there is a learning curve. With time and a willingness to learn, he says, those skills are developed.
“If they’re new to council in particular, but even if they’re not, they [need to be] open to getting educated on the role.”
There is also training for councillors at sessions held by the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM), held in late fall, shortly after municipal elections.
“These are sessions where [councillors] learn what their job is ... all the wonderful things they can do for the community. Because what council does have, as a group, is a great set of tools available at their disposal to create a vibrant and dynamic community that can move forward. They have the ability to set the policies and the goals.”
