Barrie mayor holds news conference to 'end the speculation'

Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman held a news conference on Wednesday afternoon to announce his intentions to seek a third term. Raymond Bowe/BarrieToday

1 / 1 Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman held a news conference on Wednesday afternoon to announce his intentions to seek a third term. Raymond Bowe/BarrieToday

Jeff Lehman says family was a big factor in his decision to seek a third term as Barrie’s mayor.

With wife Jennifer and their nine-year-old daughter Cassie by his side, Lehman made the announcement during a news conference Wednesday afternoon at Casa Cappuccino in downtown Barrie.

“Elections are about the future and I believe I’m the right guy to lead us through four more years,” he said to a chorus of cheers from supporters. “I love this job. I would be deeply honoured to do it for four more years.”

Lehman, 42, said support from his family is “everything,” and once he had that, “we were good to go.”

“Cassie is nine years old now and running a city is about the long term,” he said.

While there’s a sense of immediacy in politics and making the right decisions today, Lehman said building a city is for future generations.

“It’s about trying to build a community that’s going to be better for her,” he said. “Ultimately, I realized this is the way I can have the greatest impact.

“Even Cassie said, ‘I want you to do a good job, Daddy, whatever you do’,” Lehman said. “She’s nine years old, you don’t get these years back. That kind of hit me hard over Christmas, too. The time will come when she’s a teenager and will be less excited to see me.”

Lehman said he made his decision to run again a few months ago, but added he knew he was on the right track during the last few weeks.

“I had really made this decision over Christmas,” he said, “but there was still a few more conversations to have with my family about four more years of public life.”

Lehman tweeted Tuesday that he’d hold a news conference to “end the speculation” and make his future political intentions known.

There had been speculation recently that Lehman could turn his focus to either provincial or federal politics, which he referred to as “bizarre.”

One rumour circulating was that Lehman would pursue federal politics, Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte MP Alex Nuttall would run provincially and former Progressive Conservative Party leader Patrick Brown would make a run for mayor.

“Well, that’s up to Mr. Brown, and Mr. Nuttall was often mentioned in that as well,” Lehman said of the former city councillors.

Lehman said there was never a conversation about such an agreement.

“I haven’t spoke to Mr. Brown in months,” he said.

Those rumours were why he said he wanted to make his real intentions known Wednesday and avoid any distractions that councillors and city staff might face.

Although not ruling out other political aspirations, Lehman said the ongoing speculation wasn’t helping anyone.

“This is the way I feel I can best serve Barrie,” Lehman said, adding he likes working with people from a broad spectrum of political leanings.

“I’ve always wanted to serve my country and that day might come, but it’s not this day,” he added. “It’s very hard to know what the future might hold.”

Lehman said the role of mayor is far different from being an MP or an MPP.

“Being mayor is truly a unique position in politics,” he said. “It’s non-partisan, you set your own agenda, you can work with the whole community. I’m absolutely 100 per cent sure this is the right decision for me.”

In the meantime, Lehman said he’ll get back to focusing on his mayoral duties.

“This job doesn’t come with a manual,” he said, adding much of the knowledge gained as mayor is through the day-to-day workings and the new challenges presented daily.

While Lehman said a lot has been accomplished in the last two terms -- including the construction of a new GO station and a south-end library, creation of hundreds of affordable housing units and expansion along the waterfront -- there is still a lot to be done.

Unfinished business for Lehman include “unlocking” south-end traffic, new bridges and interchanges, downtown revitalization and developing the thousands of acres annexed from Innisfil a decade ago

“I really feel like we’ve started a lot of great things in Barrie and I want to finish them,” Lehman said.

The municipal election will be held Oct. 22.