Portage la Prairie City Councillor Colin Doyle has been elected as a Central District Director for the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM), marking a big milestone in his public service career. The election took place during the AMM Central District meeting held in Morden, where Doyle was chosen from among three candidates.
"This was a bit of an exciting day for me," Doyle said following the announcement.
"About a year and a half ago, there was a by-election for one of the spots and I did lose out at that time. But I wanted to throw my name back in… I've learned a lot and made a lot of connections, and it paid off today."
The Central District of the AMM represents a broad area of Manitoba, stretching from Sprague and Morris in the east to MacGregor and Treherne in the west, reaching nearly to the U.S. border. In his new role, Doyle will serve as a liaison between municipalities in this region and the provincial government, helping streamline communication and advocacy efforts.
"Rather than everyone try to attend every meeting with every minister, I will be one of the representatives who will represent our area," Doyle explained. "I love meeting new people and I just I love learning. There's obviously going to be a lot to learn… but I'm willing to take on the challenge."
Doyle stressed the importance of the support he received from his fellow council members.
"This is a very busy time of year for everybody," he said. "The district meeting is not a mandatory thing to attend, but my colleagues made sure that they came down to support me. I wouldn't have put my name in had my Council not given me the green light to do so."
Joe Masi, former executive director of the AMM and current Portage city councillor, praised Doyle's election as a win for the entire region.
"There is no doubt in my mind that Councillor Doyle will be an excellent representative for the Central District," Masi said. "He has the right temperament, he's a big picture thinker, and he wants to make sure he represents the whole district, not just Portage."
Masi added that Doyle's presence on the AMM board could enhance collaboration between municipal, provincial, and federal governments.
"The AMM plays a critical role working with the provincial government and with my role on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, we can have some real dialogue on issues at all levels," he said.
As Doyle steps into this new leadership role, both his colleagues and constituents are hopeful that his dedication and experience will bring a strong voice to the table on behalf of Central Manitoba.
With files from Danya Yurkiw