Two councillors who endorsed Glen Murray ousted from mayor's inner circle

Winnipeg's new mayor has announced who will be in his inner circle, leaving some members who endorsed his opponent Glen Murray on the outside looking in.

Mayor Scott Gillingham was joined at city hall Wednesday morning by the councillors who will make up his first Executive Policy Committee (EPC).

Those councillors include Janice Lukes (Waverley West), Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry), Brian Mayes (St. Vital), John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry), and Markus Chambers (St. Norbert-Seine River).

All have EPC experience, and some of them backed Gillingham's mayoral run.

"Today I stand with five colleagues who I believe will give my first year as mayor the leadership required to take actions quickly," Gillingham said.

Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) has also been appointed to EPC, but was absent on Wednesday.

Gillingham followed through with his promise to reduce the size of the mayor's inner circle from seven to six. That could make it harder to get the needed votes for his agenda items at council.

"I'm doggedly stubborn to be working together with other people," he said.

Browaty continues as finance committee chair, which also includes economic development. Lukes will serve as deputy mayor and chair of public works, which also oversees infrastructure.

Mayes stays as water, waste and environment chair. Orlikow takes over as chair of community services, which also houses the protection portfolio. Rollins remains on EPC as chair of property and development.

As infrastructure chair, Lukes will play a key role in trying to secure funding for the mayor's pledges to widen Kenaston Boulevard and extend Chief Peguis Trail.

"To work collaboratively with levels of government – I'm confident," Lukes said.

Another appointment is Chambers, who remains police board chair and will serve as acting deputy mayor.

"We need to present our downtown as a safe place to do business," Chambers said.

Chambers, Browaty and Lukes all endorsed Gillingham's mayoral bid.

Noticeably left out of the mayor's inner circle, former EPC members Matt Allard (St. Boniface) and Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre), who backed Glen Murray's campaign.

Gilroy believes her endorsement of Murray kept her out of the fold.

"I think that means when he talks about reaching out, it's really going to be a tough job now," Gilroy said. "He's not going to have those voices of other people that didn't support him."

Allard has mixed feelings about it.

"Being not a member of EPC is going to give me more time for policy development, as well as more time to work with the residents of St. Boniface," he said.

Gillingham said things might change in the years to come.

"This is not locked in for four years," he said. "My goal is to work with every councillor."

Members of EPC will be getting their marching orders in the form of mandate letters from the mayor once a strategic plan is developed by council.

There will be an organizational meeting of council on Nov. 9 to determine appointments to the various agencies, boards and commissions councillors will sit on.