YORKTON - Yorkton has a new mayor.
Aaron Kienle who narrowly lost a mayoral bid four years ago rolled to a win Wednesday over incumbent Mitch Hippsley.
Kienle led from the outset, ending up with an unofficial 2,438 votes to Hippsley’s 1,476.
The result was one Hippsley admitted he had not expected.
“It’s a big surprise,” he said shortly after the final numbers were revealed at City Hall. “I’ve devoted my last four years to this.”
Kienle by contrast was of course happy, but perhaps a tad surprised too.
“I felt confident, but you’re always in a bit of an echo chamber talking to your people,” he said over a coffee with Yorkton This Week Thursday.
Looking back four years when Kienle looked on his way to a win, but saw the lead slip away, he added, “you never take anything for granted.”
Ultimately as the results came in this time “it made it exciting and nerve wracking for sure,” said Kienle.
Hippsley said he wasn’t sure why the vote turned so dramatically different this time, but added it seemed he took the hit as mayor because mayors are the face of a council, so when there is a mood for change they are often the ones to go.
That said Hippsley said he believes the last four years have been positive ones for the city.
“I think we made a huge difference,” he said, adding Yorkton centres the third largest trading area in the province, and in the last four years decisions by council have “... taken it to the next level.
“I’m very proud of what we accomplished over the last four years . . . I’m very proud of our city.”
One thing Kienle said that was disappointing was the voter turn out.
“It was a lower turn out than in a COVID year and a blizzard,” he said.
There were less than 4,000 ballots cast of some 15,000 eligible.
For Kienle the work begins immediately with the official swearing in at City Hall Friday, and the first meeting with him in the big chair Nov. 25. He said his first priority will be “to catch up” on the details of what has transpired the last four years, and what is already on the agenda for the next four years.
And, then it will be about getting to know the new council, and administration.
“It will be building relationships with Council,” he said, adding then he needs to get better acquainted with new faces in city hall too.
