Results are in for Vanderhoof, with former councillor Kevin Moutray claiming the mayoral seat left vacant when Mayor Gerry Thiessen chose not to run again.
Moutray won with 784 votes accounting for 49 per cent of the votes cast. George Funk, also running for mayor, had 535 votes, and the third challenger for mayor, Ken Holden, had 277 votes.
In the 2018 election, when Moutray ran for councillor, he received the highest number of votes, 763 out of a possible 1,155.
READ MORE: Vanderhoof Coun. Kevin Moutray announces mayoral bid
In 2022, that honour went to Ernst Martens, who was elected with 918 votes (57.4 per cent). They’re joined on council by Tom Bulmer, 679 votes; Brian Frenkel, 805 votes; Cyndi Lauze, 869 votes; David van Dolah, 820 votes and Ken Young, 818 votes.
Moutray, now Vanderhoof’s mayor-elect, said the win was the result of careful planning.
“It was it was good to see. It’s been a lot of years of preparation and getting things ready,” said Moutray, adding that it was beautiful to see the election unfold how they wanted it to.
Moutray, an 11 year veteran of council, said the first task is to get committees and other functions of council up to full speed again.
“Getting those appointments made, looking for volunteers, seeing how the team wants to move forward,” said Moutray. “The council is much more than the mayor’s position.
“Luckily, a great group of people got elected. Most of them know each other, already know where they’re at. I’m really confident that we’re going to be moving forward fast.”
Moutray said former mayor Gerry Thiessen, who chose not to run again, taught him a lot over the years.