Yellowknife mayor Mark Heyck will not seek re-election in October.
In a statement on Twitter Tuesday, Heyck wrote that after close to 15 years on city council -- six as mayor -- SA国际影视传媒渘ow is the time to step back.SA国际影视传媒�
NNSL file photo
SA国际影视传媒淢y children were born during my first term as a city councillor,SA国际影视传媒� he wrote. SA国际影视传媒淚'm eager to spend more time with my family over the next few years.SA国际影视传媒�
In an interview Tuesday, Heyck said he came to the decision with his partner Amy Lea over the Christmas holidays.
SA国际影视传媒淚've missed more than a few of my kids' Christmas concerts because we were deliberating on budgets,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Although the mayor's job can be SA国际影视传媒減retty grueling,SA国际影视传媒� Heyck said his choice not to run again was unrelated to reports of workplace misconduct in the Municipal Enforcement Division (MED) published by News/North and the CBC in January.
Over a period spanning the early 2000s to 2014, Doug Gillard, the head of MED, is alleged to have made sexual and homophobic comments about city employees, hit MED officers in the groin and used security cameras to look at women at city facilities.
These allegations prompted city administration to shut off security cameras in all city facilities and sparked an inquiry into workplace misconduct in the bylaw enforcement division.
Heyck said he decided not to run for a third term about a month and a half before SA国际影视传媒渟ome of the latest issues cropped up.SA国际影视传媒�
The mayor decided to announce his intentions now, in part, because his predecessor, Gord Van Tighem, stated he would not seek re-election around this time in 2012.
Unlike Van Tighem, however, Heyck is not endorsing any potential replacement at this time. Van Tighem touted Heyck as his successor when he announced his retirement.
Heyck said he wanted to give residents considering a run for mayor ample time to make that decision.
Councillors expressed shock Tuesday after learning the mayor would not be running again.
SA国际影视传媒淚 don't think anybody expected this,SA国际影视传媒� said Coun. Steve Payne.
Payne said Heyck had done SA国际影视传媒渟ome pretty amazing thingsSA国际影视传媒� during is tenure, and called the outgoing mayor a SA国际影视传媒渇air leader.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淲ow,SA国际影视传媒� said Coun. Linda Bussey, after hearing of Heyck's decision.
Bussey said she hoped his decision to stand down was not connected to SA国际影视传媒渁 lot of things that we've been experiencing.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚 hope it's because he wants to do something different,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
Bussey declined to elaborate on what she meant by SA国际影视传媒渢hings we've been experiencing.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭here's been some hurdles to cross and we're still crossing them,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
Coun. Niels Konge would not comment on the mayor's leadership over the last six years.
Konge publicly feuded with Heyck last fall over the mayor's handling of complaints lodged against the councillor by city employees.
The dispute ended in December when council officially reprimanded Konge during a city council meeting.
Konge, president of contracting company Konge Construction, said he will SA国际影视传媒渁bsolutely notSA国际影视传媒� consider running for mayor.
SA国际影视传媒淭he mayor job is a full-time job and I love my job,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 love being a business person, I love construction.SA国际影视传媒�
Formerly a website and multimedia co-ordinator at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Heyck was first elected to Yellowknife city council in 2003. The born-and-raised Yellowknifer served as deputy mayor from 2006 until 2012, when he was voted in as the city's 14th mayor.
During Heyck's mayoralty, the city adopted a 10-year plan to end homelessness, beefed up its street outreach and shelter services, started curb-side compost collection and improved trails, bike paths and aging infrastructure.
Earlier this month, the mayor accepted a Sustainable Communities Award from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for a biomass heating system that will heat the Multiplex, Fieldhouse, city garage, firehall and parks garage.
The wood pellet heating system is expected to cut the city's greenhouse gas emissions by 829 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent and save between $140,000 and $160,000 a year.
Through housing, tourism and environmental initiatives, Heyck made sustainability the focus of his agenda.
SA国际影视传媒淭hat notion of sustainability throughout the community has really grown in prominence,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 hope if there's any legacy that I've left, it relates to community sustainability.SA国际影视传媒�
Heyck said he doesn't know yet what he will do after his term comes to an end, which is SA国际影视传媒渁 little bit scary but also kind of exciting.SA国际影视传媒�
Tuesday's announcement however, does not necessarily portend the end of his political career.
SA国际影视传媒淣ever say never,SA国际影视传媒� said the 42-year-old mayor.
SA国际影视传媒淭here will be future opportunities potentially.SA国际影视传媒�
Bussey neither confirms nor denies potential run
Coun. Linda Bussey could be one potential candidate to replace outgoing mayor Mark Heyck this fall.
SA国际影视传媒淚'm not saying 'no' and I'm not saying 'yes,'SA国际影视传媒� the city councillor said Tuesday, when asked if she was considering a run for the city's highest office.
Heyck has done SA国际影视传媒済reat work,SA国际影视传媒� said Bussey, but every politician reaches a point where he or she needs to SA国际影视传媒渄o something different.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭he next eight months are going to be interesting,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
