Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Reeve Ben Van Diepenbeek presided over his last municipal council meeting this week.
After serving the municipality and the county for a total of 27 years, there were not regrets. But Van Diepenbeek says he is looking forward to retirement.
He says he's ready and he's looking forward to enjoying the rest of his life on the farm with his children and grand children.
He also says in the time he's spent serving on eight different councils and six county councils it's been a great run, he's enjoyed the opportunity and he's met a lot of good people.
Wednesday was also Van Diepenbeek's last county council meeting.
“I don't know how many council meetings in total, but a lot. 27 years, yeah, I'm looking forward to retiring and enjoying the rest of my life on the farm with the grand kids and my children and, yeah, it's been a great run.”
“I've worked with eight different councils on eight terms so, eight full-time municipal councillors, eight terms at the local level and six county council terms so 21 years at county council, so it's been great, I've met a lot of good people.”