MELFORT — Following a month-long campaign and four days of voting, Melfort has elected a new mayor by a very small margin.
According to the unofficial count, former city councillor Glenn George has been elected the mayor of Melfort with 583 total votes. He beat out former Melfort mayor Rick Lang, who received 578 votes meaning a difference of five votes separating them.
George was still in a state of shock shortly following the release of the unofficial results, he said. While he will not officially be mayor until he is sworn in during the next council meeting, he said his work starts tomorrow, with lots of planning in the works before taking his seat in mayor’s chair.
“I have a lot to offer and I want to get started tomorrow morning.”
For George, it took him 30 years in business and 11 years on the council to get to this point, he said, and he gives Lang a lot of credit for all he has done for Melfort and for running a good campaign. Overall, he would like to thank the people of Melfort for supporting him and he is happy to be in this new position.
“I want to pledge right now that I'll work my hardest to make it the best that it can be.”
Becoming a former mayor is disappointing, Lang said. Looking back on the last eight years as mayor, Lang said that maybe Melfort residents may have overlooked his achievements.
“There was a lot achieved. Obviously, the voters either didn't recognize or didn't think it was as important as I thought it was.”
With over 1,100 votes cast, Lang says the people have made their choice.
Passing the torch, Lang said to George following the release of the election results to make sure he does a good job.
“That's how we left it. I hope he does do a good job for the city because the City of Melfort deserves a strong mayor, who's going to put in the effort, and do a good job.”
Lang has felt he has done that for the City of Melfort.
Joining George at the table will be four former councillors from last term; April Phillips, Trent Mitchell, Doug Terry, and Tim Hoenmans, former 2012 term councillor, Brian Enge, and new councillor Tara Muntain.
