Bowman keeps inner-circle councillor lineup intact

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This article was published 03/11/2021 (1661 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mayor Brian Bowman has opted to keep his inner circle in place, making no changes to the membership of council’s powerful executive policy committee.

As the pandemic continues to affect city services and finances, Bowman said he felt it best to stick with the current lineup of standing policy committee leaders (who are each members of EPC), a decision announced at an annual organizational meeting of council Wednesday morning.

“In the midst of the pandemic… right now the committee chairs are working hard on their mandates and, at this time, there were no changes that were needed. I want to thank everybody for their ongoing leadership efforts in their portfolios, which has for some time, as you know, included a particular focus on the pandemic and areas that are specific challenges in respect to portfolios,” Bowman told the Free Press. “I thought that the stability that we have in those leadership roles is something that the community could benefit from.”

That means the following councillors will remain in their current committee chairperson roles: Scott Gillingham (finance); Matt Allard (infrastructure renewal and public works); Jeff Browaty (innovation and economic development); Cindy Gilroy (property and development, heritage and downtown development); Sherri Rollins (protection, community services and parks); and Brian Mayes (water and waste, riverbank management and the environment).

The mayor said he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of making changes to EPC in the new year, if he feels that’s needed.

During Wednesday’s meeting, city council voted to re-appoint Coun. Devi Sharma as speaker and Coun. Ross Eadie as deputy speaker.

Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga