YORKTON - If the Yorkton mayoral race were a boxing match then the return bout was a decisive victory for the challenger.
Mitch Hippsley and Aaron Kienle matched up four years ago, and of course we know Hippsley won, but it was close – almost a split decision.
This time Kienle was a late addition to the vote card seemingly adding his name just to give voters an option come election time – no one is very happy when a mayor is acclaimed.
And as the voters rolled in last Wednesday eve it was obvious from the first results on that voters wanted that option, Kienle rolling to a clear knock-out win to continue the comparison.
So what exactly does the change in mayor mean?
Well that is a good question because it happened in Regina, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw too, indicating in general people wanted change.
But here in Yorkton the same voters returned the four incumbent candidates on the ballot, so the thirst for change here at least was limited to the mayor’s chair.
Now certainly the mayor becomes the ‘face’ of the city, but their power is actually quite limited. They can only speak on an issue through a formal process of handing over the chair to the deputy first, and when a vote is taken theirs only carries extra weight if there is a tie among council – a very rare occurrence.
Now one might be looking for a different ‘voice’ from Council. It is the mayor who cuts ribbons, and attends provincial city caucus gatherings and brings greeting at events, and no doubt Kienle will bring a different approach to at least some of that.
That said it should also be noted Hippsley, for whatever perceived faults had him out after a single term as mayor, was always a stalwart promoter of the City of Yorkton. He may not have always made the decisions many voters may have wished, but it is safe to say he did what he truly believed was best for the city today and into the future.
Ultimately, as a politician that is all one can truly hope for at whatever level of government you chose to look at. We elect people to make the best decisions for us as a collective, and Hippsley did what he thought was best. Last Wednesday that proved to have not been enough, but he still deserves the community’s thanks for four years as our mayor.
And now it’s Kienle in the big chair. He has sat on council before, so there is no learning curve. He can hit the ground running as they say. Will we notice a difference? Will it be a better difference? Those are questions best answered four years from now, but we wish him well in his efforts on our behalf.
