Five election wins and serving with three mayors over two decades, Jenny Gerbasi says it’s time to leave Winnipeg City Hall.
"It's been a really good run,” said Gerbasi.
Jenny Gerbasi says she won't seek re-election this fall but will stay on until the end of the term. Gerbasi, the longest serving current councillor, says she's closing this door so another one can open.
"This has been an incredibly important chapter in the story of my life and the work I've done here, I'm very proud of it," said Gerbasi.
On word of her impending departure, Mayor Brian Bowman thanked her in a tweet.
"As dean of the council chamber, your leadership & experience will certainly be missed," tweeted Bowman.
For 20 years Gerbasi was one of the few women on the floor of council. Councillor Cindy Gilroy calls her a mentor.
"She was the trailblazer here and she did a lot of progressive stuff,” said Gilroy.
A nurse and community advocate, Gerbasi first won her seat in Fort Rouge in 1998 when Glen Murray vacated it to run for mayor. Gerbasi was part of Murray's Executive Policy Committee.
"Incredibly successful political career and leaves behind an incredibly positive legacy for the people of Winnipeg,” said Murray.
But for the next decade, during the Sam Katz administration she found herself on the outside, in opposition on several files.
Under Bowman, she was not put on EPC but given the deputy mayor role, keeping her within the inner circle of power.
"I've worked with three different mayors; it's been amazing and I've played different roles as you know with different mayors,” said Gerbasi.
Gerbasi says many issues near and dear to her, like Opening Portage and Main, building bike paths, reconciliation, and bus rapid transit are taking shape.
"A lot of the things I've been working on over the last 20 years I'm really starting to see happening,” said Gerbasi.
Gerbasi says she’s not sure what she plans on doing next but did not rule out a future in politics at another level.
