Hrynyk named school board chair

WINNIPEG - Suzanne Hrynyk has been elected chair of the Winnipeg School Board.

The election took place at an inaugural board meeting Monday night. Trustee Kristine Barr was elected as vice chair.

Seven of the nine former trustee board members were returned to office: Joyce Bateman, Rita Hildahl, Jackei Sneesby, Kristine Barr, Anthony Ramos, Mike Babinsky and Suzanne Hrynyk.

They’re joined by newly elected trustees Darlyne Bautista and Cathy Collins.

Rural voting: Selkirk gets new mayor in major election upset

DAVID Bell can say he's seen life from both sides now.

The psychiatric nurse at Selkirk Mental Health Centre, who pulled one of the biggest election upsets in 2002 to become Selkirk's mayor, had the tables turned on him Wednesday night.

Bell was bounced by local grocery store manager Larry Johannson.

People thought it would be close. Johannson, an assistant manager in the local Safeway store, is a popular man in Selkirk.

St. Boniface

The last time Dan Vandal stepped into the

electoral ring, it was a tough and bloody fight as

the former pugilist squeaked out a win over the

St. Boniface incumbent Franco Magnifico.

St. Vital

The veteran KO'd the wannabe in St. Vital on Wednesday night.

Gord Steeves, who has been on Winnipeg city council for 10 years, won his fourth election, easily defeating Harry Wolbert by a margin of 14,960 to 3,207.

"I hope it means people have confidence in me. I hope it means people respect the kind of leadership I've offered St. Vital," Steeves said in a telephone interview.

Steeves' name has long been bandied about as a mayoral contender. But he said it is too soon to think about 2014.

Ft. Rouge-E. Ft. Garry

It was a three-peat for veteran councillor Jenny Gerbasi as she cleaned up in Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry, netting more than 60 per cent of area votes.

Gerbasi was first elected to city council in 1998. Wednesday night marked her third win.

"I'm really honoured and humbled that the people of Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry have supported me in spite of a conservative effort from the mayor's supporters to rid them of a thorn in their side. I will be back!" Gerbasi announced triumphantly at her campaign party.

Transit, infrastructure, community safety, and affordable housing are a few issues Gerbasi expects to continue to champion in her ward.

St. James-Brooklands

"IT feels great. It was a long campaign," said Scott Fielding, as St.James-Brooklands voters returned him for a second term at city hall.

An ally of Mayor Sam Katz, Fielding said he is committed to increasing police presence and providing more funding for infrastructure. "Well, crime is the biggest issue in the city of Winnipeg," said Fielding. "I think that's a major issue we need to focus in on."

He said he'll also push for investment in community centres, particularly now that Weston is part of the ward. "We really need to focus in on some of these areas, making investments in recreation and these type of things, to give kids on opportunity to do something else beyond getting into crime," said Fielding

St. James-Brooklands

Transcona

TRANSCONA Coun. Russ Wyatt won his third term in office, easily defeating Vlad Kowalyk.

The so-called Mayor of Transcona gave an emotional speech at Dal's Restaurant where he credited the people of the ward for the victory.

"I'm passionate about this community," says Wyatt. "I believe it's (Transcona) the best community in Canada. I really believe that in my heart."

Kowalyk knew the maverick councillor would be tough to beat. The engineer and activist fought Wyatt on traffic issues and lack of green space.

St. Charles

GRANT Nordman was returned for a second term in St. Charles ward and vowed: "I'll be a better councillor for the next four years because of what I have learned, what I've experienced."

He wiped away tears as the vote tally came in. "It warms the cockles of your heart," he said.

Nordman is a longtime member of the Manitoba Conservative party and is the son of the late Ric Nordman, who was councillor in St. Charles from 1974 to 1981.

North Kildonan

NORTH Kildonan incumbent Jeff Browaty breathed a sigh of relief as his second city council win solidified his place in Winnipeg's political arena, and in the hearts of ward residents.

"I'm just delighted," said Browaty, who worked as a real estate agent prior to his first election four years ago.

"I'm thrilled with the confidence the residents of North Kildonan have shown in me tonight."

Browaty's re-election campaign, like his past four years in office, focused heavily on issues of infrastructure and safety in his ward. Browaty feels North Kildonan has been short-changed by the city in the past when it comes to funding for infrastructure, old and new.

Race harder than winner Swandel anticipated

IT was a tough race in St. Norbert, but incumbent Justin Swandel secured another four years representing the ward on Winnipeg city council.

Swandel beat out challenger Louise May by more than 1,800 votes Wednesday night, but he said it was a tougher race than he had expected.

Swandel, who had 56 per cent of the vote, acknowledged May put up quite a fight.

"To give my opponent credit, there was a lot more going on in this election than I anticipated," he said, looking somewhat exhausted but jubilant at his election headquarters.

Point Douglas

Coun. Mike Pagtakhan said he will continue renovating his inner-city ward after his big win over Dean Koshelanyk and Herman Holla.

Since his first election in 2002, Pagtakhan has been redeveloping the Point Douglas ward. From a small maintenance measure of replacing neglected streetlights on Burrows Avenue to building an outdoor basketball court at Weston Community Centre on Logan Avenue, his focus has been on creating community capacity. "Usually streets like Salter or Isabel will divide a neighbourhood, so when (kids) come for free soccer games or basketball games they come together to build capacity," says Pagtakhan.

That community-building appears to have paid electoral dividends for Pagtakhan.

"Wow, when you have numbers like in Tyndall Park and Stanley Knowles where we're blowing away the competition. I'm totally speechless," Pagtakhan said.