After serving twelve years as Councillor for the Mitchell area, Bernie Stahn has decided to let his name stand for re-election this fall in the RM of Hanover. The Ward 2 Councillor has also held the position of Deputy Reeve the last eight years.
    
"It's an easy decision when things are flowing well, everything's going well," admits Stahn, who says residents are very accommodating and encouraging.

Stahn says as the Mitchell area Councillor, one of his accomplishments over the years has been the drainage work along roads 33N, 34N and 35N. He has also been part of a council that has spent the necessary funds to improve and upgrade lagoons in the municipality. And he says they're doing a lot of work on roads this year that have never before seen improvements.

And Stahn says one of his accomplishments as a Councillor has been to change the way residents get charged by the Jake Epp Library. Rather than having Hanover residents pay full price and then being reimbursed through the municipality, Stahn says it was his idea to have residents pay the reduced rate and then have Hanover pay the difference to the library.

Stahn says whoever ends up winning the Mitchell seat will have a much different looking ward. The municipality has announced it is changing the ward boundaries and Stahn says the size of Ward 2 will be less than half the size it is today.

"So there will be a bit of an adjustment because an area that I've covered for twelve years I no longer will look after," says Stahn. "So that will be an adjustment for me plus for the residents because they now will talk to a different Councillor."

Stahn says if re-elected, drainage will continue to be a priority, as will maintaining the infrastructure in the growing community of Mitchell. He says his number one priority will be to resolve some of the sewer system issues that community is facing.

The 34 year veteran of Canada Post also chairs the Mitchell Fun Days, something he helped start twelve years go.

Stahn joins Ward 3 Councillor Bob Brandt, Ward 4 Councillor Dylan Barkman and Ward 6 Councillor Henry Funk in running for re-election. Reeve Stan Toews is also seeking re-election. Gord Meneer of Kleefeld is the only new candidate; he's running in Ward 5.