After serving 3 terms as vice president, R.M. of Morris Reeve Ralph Groening is making a bid to succeed former Steinbach Mayor Chris Goertzen as president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM). Groening says his experience would be a big asset to the organization.

"I have had the opportunity to see the challenges that our municipalities and cities have. I have been given responsibility to talk about policy and I have an understanding of policy, so it was a pretty easy evolution to move towards the president position when the opportunity is there, the opportunity is there now," said Groening.

Elections for executive positions within AMM happen every two years, and the annual convention later this month marks the start of a new term for the provincial lobby group.

Groening said there are a few items he would like to address if he's elected to lead the organization. However, he noted a big priority will be infrastructure.

"I know it is not a new story and it's not a new agenda or policy item, but that would certainly be one of the important issues I would move forward," he explained.

For example, Groening would like to address the reduced Manitoba Water Services budget and the scaled-back Municipal Roads and Bridge program.

With 48 per cent of all municipal officials new to the job following October's civic vote, Groening says his experience with AMM matters.

"I think it's certainly a benefit that my candidacy offers," he said. Groening feels his experienced knowledge of municipalities in Manitoba will help him to offer guidance and support to those new councillors and heads-of-council.

"I really look forward to the opportunity of serving and working for the municipal leaders in Manitoba to create a stronger Manitoba," he noted.

Also making a bid for the top job is Doug Dobrowolski, a councillor with the R.M. of Macdonald. He previously held the AMM president position from 2008 to 2015.

One name will be noticeably absent from the ballot this time around. Chris Goertzen, former mayor of Steinbach and current AMM president, is not seeking another term in the top job after announcing he was taking a break from municipal politics and did not let his name stand for re-election in October's civic vote.