The Ward 1 winner in Barrie’s municipal election says he's “delighted” to be returning for a second term around the council table.
“Thank you, Ward 1. I am delighted to be asked to serve again,” he exclaimed to BarrieToday via telephone following Monday night’s results. “I hope to do it very well and I am looking forward to working with the new council.
"I am sure that there will be a settling in period, but that it will be great.”
Riepma, who has lived in Barrie for nine years, was first elected in 2018 after receiving 974 votes — or 29.7 per cent — cast in the east-end ward.
This time around, the veteran councillor garnered 1,752 votes, nearly double that of his opponents combined.
And although he said he was feeling pretty confident throughout the campaign, Riepma was still feeling some nerves right up until the final results.
“You never know what the numbers will be when the time comes,” he acknowledged.
Riepma told BarrieToday he plans to focus on two things that he’s heard a lot during his campaigning: repairing and rebuilding roads and infrastructure, and property standards, specifically in the area near Georgian College.
Riepma thanked his constituents for putting their trust in him yet again, adding he's always available should anyone have questions.
“You know my phone number, you know my email. I really enjoyed talking to everybody I could talk to during this campaign, and I would love to keep the dialogue going," he said. "Give me a call, or an email and we will work together on the issues we have here."
Andre Jmourko, a 22-year-old real estate agent, came in second in Ward 1 with 969 votes, while Constance Elliott, a 37-year-old municipal employee, came in third with 815 votes.
