Battleford's mayor, Derek Mahon, has been selected to receive a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
In a letter presented the Feb. 19 town council meeting, FCM president Karen Leibovici stated, "Your peers in local government across the country admire your accomplishments as a community leader, and congratulate you on earning this prestigious award."
Mahon said he was "honoured, humbled."
Displaying the medal for fellow council members, he said, "I'm happy to receive it."
Exactly who put his name forward, Mahon didn't know, although he said it wasn't the Town of Battleford or himself. The selection committee keeps its process secret, he said.
Mahon spoke with Leibovici at the recent annual convention of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, and was "assured not everyone gets one."
In her letter, Leibovici wrote, "FCM chose you to receive this distinction for your exemplary efforts to make your community a great place to live. It recognizes the important role municipalities - and their elected leaders - play in ensuring our prosperity and high quality of life."
Mahon is in his first term as mayor of Battleford after serving 12 years as a councillor.
