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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal doctors' breakthrough discovery about causes of cerebral palsy giving hope
A breakthrough discovery made by doctors at the Montreal Children's Hospital about the causes of cerebral palsy is giving new hope to one West Island family.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Why Kim Kardashian is being sued for 'knockoff' furniture
The estate of minimalist contemporary artist Donald Judd filed a lawsuit against Kardashian this week, claiming the fashion and beauty mogul promoted 'cheap knockoffs' of his furniture designs.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries 'Roots,' has died. He was 87.