Six new faces will make up the next term of Barrie city council, with only five coming back.
New councillors include Clare Riepma (Ward 1), Keenan Aylwin (Ward 2), Robert Thomson (Ward 5), Natalie Harris (Ward 6), Gary Harvey (Ward 7) and Jim Harris (Ward 8), while returning are Mayor Jeff Lehman, Doug Shipley, Barry Ward, Sergio Morales and Mike McCann.
“It’s always sad to see incumbents not successful, because you become friends with these people just by sitting on council,” Ward told BarrieToday on Monday night. “But I’m also excited by some of the new people on council.
"It’s going to be an interesting time and it’s nice to get new viewpoints around the table.”
Shipley, who was first elected in 2010, said the turnover on council caught him somewhat off-guard.
“I’m surprised by a couple, to be honest,” Shipley said. “It’s always tough being the incumbent. … I'm surprised to see some of my colleagues going, and I’m always sad to see that. But I’ll welcome the new people and welcome them around the table.
"Democracy has spoken and its the people’s will.”
Lehman, who won his third term as city mayor Monday night, said the new councillors will have to get up to speed fast, because there's a lot going on.
“It’s also learning the city-wide issues, because when you come out of a ward race, you’ve heard a lot from your neighbourhood, but if you’re running in the south end you may not have heard much about the north end,” Lehman told reporters Monday night at PIE restaurant along the lakeshore.
The mayor added new councillors will be brought up to speed quickly by city staff, with binder upon binder of orientation material.
“Change is always good,” Lehman added regarding the makeup of the next council. “In a city that is always changing, I would expect nothing else.”
The new term of council will be sworn in Dec. 1.
