Councillor sets sights on reeve’s chair

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This article was published 02/10/2022 (1010 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With the RM of Hanover’s long-time reeve set to retire this October, Grunthal’s ward councillor is hoping his experience with the municipality can win him the seat at the head of council.

Coun. Jim Funk is competing against Donald Bouchard for reeve in Hanover.

Funk was elected to represent the Grunthal area in 2018, replacing three-term councillor Henry Funk. Before being acclaimed to the council seat, Funk served on the Grunthal LUD committee for eight years.

“I’ve always had interests in municipal affairs,” Funk said in an interview.

After Reeve Stan Toews announced his pending retirement from municipal politics in May, Funk said he was encouraged to run for leadership by his municipal colleagues. Through his experience the Grunthal official feels he’s fit for the job.

Through his time working for constituents in the municipality, Funk said he’s come to realize nothing worth doing well can be done quickly.

“You learn patience,” he said.

Nearly half of Funk’s time serving as a municipal politician has been through the COVID-19 pandemic. While pandemic restrictions have slowed growth in his community, Funk said he’s pleased with the commercial and residential progress made in his time at Hanover.

A unified council has helped in achieving that growth, Funk added.

“If we would have a council that would be pulling, you know, two or three or even six different ways, that would make things very tough in the council chambers, very little would get done,” he said.

Solid decisions based on thorough discussion is a skill Funk says would benefit him in the position of reeve.

“We don’t always have to make that decision today,” he said. “We can chew on it for a day or two or a week or two them and come up with a sound decision.”

Funk said he hopes to continue steering the municipality in the direction it’s headed, with a regional wastewater plant at the top of his wish list. However, he’s weary of the economy, and wary of a possible recession on the horizon.

“It’s a little bit of an unknown at this point in time,” Funk said.

Municipal elections take place Oct. 26.

This story first appeared in The Carillon on July 14, 2022.