Former Barrie mayor Jeff Lehman has a new political position in cottage country

Former mayor Jeff Lehman has a new position in politics as the leader of the District of Muskoka just over a month since leaving the Barrie office.

On Monday, a newly-elected 22-member district chose Lehman in a secret ballot to manage the six municipalities in cottage country.

"I'm so excited, I know there's a ton of work ahead, and I'm delighted that the district council gave me this opportunity to serve them," Lehman said shortly after the announcement was made Monday.

He vied for the job against several locals with various political backgrounds, including former Gravenhurst councillor Terry Pilger and Bracebridge councillor Don Smith.

Lehman served 12 years as Barrie's mayor but shifted his focus to provincial politics in the spring rather than seeking a fourth term.

He lost the seat at Queen's Park in the June election but vowed his political career wasn't over. However, questions were raised Monday on whether Lehman will serve the entirety of his four-year term as district chair.

"What that question gave me the opportunity to do is make that commitment very clear to everybody standing in this room today that I want to serve the District of Muskoka, and I won't be phoning it in," Lehman says. "I'm going to be here, and I hope to bring my experience and accomplish a lot while I have the chance."

He takes the district chair position after John Klinck announced he would retire after nearly three decades of public service.

Now that its new chair has been selected, council members are looking forward to getting to work.

"We are a growing community, but we don't want to grow too fast, but we do want to grow environmentally friendly," says Sandy Cairns, a Gravenhurst district councillor.

The mayor of the Township of Lake of Bays says internet access remains a top concern that he would like to see addressed.

"One issue that was never talked about was improvements to broadband and cell service," says Mayor Terry Glover. "I've been working on that a lot, and it was a priority for the Lake of Bays, and it's a priority for the district, so I'm hoping to get that fire up again."

Last month, Lehman announced his intention to continue his political career in cottage country, noting his strong ties to the area.

"My family and I believe this will be a great way to put our love for Muskoka and my municipal experience to work close to home. We've been part of the District since the 1990s at our place in Huntsville/Lake of Bays," he shared on Twitter in a November post.

Lehman will serve as Muskoka District Chair for the next four years. His first official day of work is Tuesday.