Monday night marked the last meeting of the term for this council. (L to R) Darryl Benson, Doug Terry, Glenn George, Mayor Rick Lang, April Phillips, Trent Mitchell, and Tim Hoenmans (missing). (Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Melfort City Council

Mayor reflects on term as Melfort holds final council meeting ahead of municipal election

Oct 20, 2020 | 9:53 AM

The City of Melfort held their regular council meeting on Monday, Oct. 19, and it so happened to be the final meeting of the term for this incarnation of council.

The municipal elections take place on Nov. 9 and there is likely to be at least one new face in the council chambers due to the mayoral race in the city between incumbent Rick Lang, and Councillor Glenn George.

At the Monday meeting, Lang and his councillors expressed their gratitude and thanked the administration for their hard work over the last four years, and vice versa as administration thanked council for their work. Lang said it’s been an excellent four years with that group.

“I think it would rival any four years of any previous council,” _{-Mayor Rick Lang on what’s been accomplished with the current council}

Lang credited the administration, as well as his council for all playing their part in accomplishing what they did over their four years in office.

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“I hope some of that is a credit to the mayor that was sitting in the chair,” Lang added. “Because I would like to think that’s the case.”

As for what was accomplished over the last four years with the current council, Lang said he’d need a list to figure out how much was done. He did however touch on a few main projects including finally getting approval for a CT scanner just weeks ago.

“That was eight years of keeping it at the forefront of the provincial government,” Lang told northeastNOW.

The CT scanner is expected in early 2021.

Lang also mentioned repaving Saskatchewan Drive as another highlight, saying it was a hotly contested topic in the 2016 election, with some candidates wanting to repave the road immediately after the election at a large cost to the city. Lang said his council was able to use the Urban Highway Connector program for help, and limit the cost to the city. Another highlight for Lang and council was the Wellness Centre opening in 2018.

With just two weeks until the election, Lang said if he returns to the mayors chair for a third term, he wants to continue moving Melfort forward.

“If I am here, I guess my goal would be continued growth for Melfort in all areas,” he said.

He touched on residential and commercial growth for the city. More specifically, Lang is aiming to continue lobbying the provincial and federal governments for funding to help with infrastructure, mainly water lines which has been a main topic in this election, past elections, and in between.

However, if Lang were not to be elected, he said he’ll pass the job along.

“If it’s my job to do it, I’ll do my absolute best to make sure Melfort progresses as it should,” he said. “But if I’m not here, I guess as a former mayor, you don’t get to play a role really, and that’s the reality of it.”

Lang added when the election results come in “they’re probably right” no matter who they’re in favour of.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6