Before jetting off to Ottawa for the annual Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) convention, Steinbach Mayor Earl Funk made a pit stop at the Country 107 morning show served up by A&W Steinbach — and the conversation quickly swerved from politics to peanuts.
Carly Koop from the Country 107 team sat down with Mayor Funk for a rapid-fire round of random questions. The light-hearted Q&A gave listeners a rare behind-the-scenes look at the mayor’s everyday life — including a few surprises.
Yes, he owns Crocs — but only for mowing
Right off the bat, Mayor Funk was asked if he ever bikes to work. “No,” he replied with a chuckle. “Truck. Yeah, 'cause I never know what I'm having to deliver.”
Turns out, Funk used to deliver boxes of meat on his motorcycle — once even strapping one down with bungee cords before realizing it was "Tuesday delivery day."
And while Funk may not hit the trails often anymore, he does own a pair of Crocs — “just for mowing the grass,” he admitted. Black ones, to be exact. We quickly reminded him that might not be the safest footwear for lawn care.
Bike ramps and wipeouts
Asked if he’s ever wiped out on a bike, Funk lit up with a childhood memory involving plywood, tires, and one painful lesson.
“I was maybe nine or 10,” he recalled. “I hit the plywood, the plywood flexed, and I basically landed stretched out on the pavement. I slid for a bit. No skin for most of the front of my body.”
Despite the crash, Funk said he kept riding bikes with friends — just no more plywood ramps.
Dunk tanks, tandem bikes and jaywalking confessions
While he’s never been invited to take a splash in a dunk tank at Summer in the City, Funk said he’d be up for it. “They’re fun,” he said. “No one’s ever asked me, but I would.”
We also floated the idea of a city council tandem bike ride. Funk said he’d happily hop on a two-seater with Deputy Mayor Michael Zwaagstra — as long as there was a little practice first.
And yes, he admitted to jaywalking in downtown Steinbach. “But I try not to,” he said, adding, “we always have time to be safe.”
No to doughnuts, yes to peanuts
As for summer treats, Funk’s not a fan of sweets — so you won’t find him at the mini doughnut truck.
“I’m a savory guy,” he said. “But peanuts? I like peanuts. There's no peanut truck. That’s the problem.”
Final thoughts from the mayor
Despite the jokes, Funk wrapped up the interview with a dose of humility.
“At the end of the day, we all have a job to do,” he said. “Being mayor is my job... but I’m human. I get up, I put my socks on one foot at a time. We’re all the same.”
Check out podcast for the full interview which promises plenty more fun moments — from zipper merging skills to Funk’s thoughts on honking etiquette.
This wasn’t your typical political chat — but it sure gave Steinbach a few things to smile about.
-With files from Carly Koop.