Brent Budz stepping away from municipal politics, will not seek re-election in October

A familiar face at the City of Portage's council table is stepping away from municipal politics.

Brent Budz announced, after discussing it with his family, he will not seek re-election this October. He reflected on his time at the table, saying it flew by.

"Yeah, it's gone very quickly, but at the end of October, it will be 12 years serving the city, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I just wanted to thank the citizens of Portage la Prairie for their support over the last number of years. I've gained tremendous amounts, both personally and professionally, by being involved in council."

Mayor Irvine Ferris says Budz has served as his deputy mayor for the last two terms, while also serving as finance chair -- a role that suited him.

"You know, he brought a lot of talent to the council table -- certainly a lot of financial acumen," says Mayor Ferris. "He was a man that's very comfortable and had strong convictions. A really good debater, and certainly he'll be missed on council, and I've certainly enjoyed working with him."

Mayor Ferris recently decided he would not seek re-election, and there was some discussion about whether the Deputy Mayor would run for the position. Budz says he considered it.

"The mayor and myself have had long conversations over the last number of months, and yes, at one point in time I did, I did give it some consideration to run for mayor," says Budz. "However, professionally, I've had some opportunities that are taking some more time within my own role of serving on the Credit Union Central Manitoba board now. It's just really got to the point where I have to understand the commitment level that's required to run for mayor, and if I was going to do that, I wanted to ensure that I had the appropriate amount of time to do it properly."

Mayor Ferris says Budz played a large role, especially in the last two terms, in some of the larger infrastructure projects you would see around Portage la Prairie. He adds, Budz cared about the community.

"He's a very committed, dedicated individual who really did a lot to move the community of Portage ahead," says Mayor Ferris. "I consider him a good friend and wish him all the best in the next stage of life."