Windsor Ward 8 councillor Bill Marra smiles before a city council meeting on April 23, 2018. Marra announced afterwards that he will not run for relection. Photo by Mark Brown/Blackburn News.Windsor Ward 8 councillor Bill Marra smiles before a city council meeting on April 23, 2018. Marra announced afterwards that he will not run for relection. Photo by Mark Brown/Blackburn News.
Windsor

'Very Pleased To Have Served 21 Wonderful, Gratifying Years'

Windsor's longest-serving active city councillor is stepping away from chambers.

Following Monday night's city council meeting, Ward 8 Councillor Bill Marra announced that he will leave when his current term is up.

Marra told reporters following the meeting that he will not run for mayor either. He said it was just the right time to go.

"[I'm] very pleased to have served 21 wonderful, gratifying years, but certainly there comes a time to move on, and for me, it's now," said Marra.

He plans to concentrate on his work at Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, where he serves as vice-president for external relations and as executive director of the Changing Lives Together Foundation. He also wants to spend more time with his family.

Marra said this is a decision he had been thinking about since the last time he was elected in 2014. He had been thinking about walking away then, but he decided to give it another shot, winning his ward by 77% of the vote.

"I decided to run again after giving it some thought last time," said Marra. "Mayor [Eddie] Francis had announced his intentions to leave, so I knew there would be a new mayor, and there appeared to be the opportunity for significant turnover on council, so I really thought I could play a role in assisting with the transition."

Marra was first elected to council in 1994, upsetting long-time councillor Tom Toth. He sat out a term after losing the mayoral race to Francis in 2003 and was re-elected to council three years later.  He has served as a councillor ever since.

He said he wanted to end the discussion about his future before nominations began.

"I really wanted to avoid the negative dynamics, the speculation, and a lot of folks talking about who might run for what," said Marra. "I thought it was important for me to announce my intentions, to clear the slate, and give other potential candidates an opportunity to give it some thought."

Marra intention to step away from council means there will be at least one open seat after the October municipal election. The earliest candidates can officially file papers to run is May 1.

Other members of council, including Mayor Drew Dilkens, have yet to officially announce their desire to run for another term, however, it is believed most councillors are planning to run again.

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