Steinbach’s mayor feels his monthly Open Door sessions are serving a great purpose. 

Earl Funk opens his door to the public one afternoon every month; no appointments are necessary. 

He says people want to be heard. 

“And when they’re not heard, there’s frustration and disappointment.” 

During Open Door sessions, Funk hears about various concerns involving the use of dirt bikes and ATV's, speeding, and parking problems. 

He also hears concerns related to pets. 

“Pets are wonderful, but they come with challenges too,” Funk says. “So, there are those talks that we have, and I do send them to the website or sometimes it's a bigger problem and we have to send them to RAMS (Rural Animal Management Services) who takes care of our animal concerns.” 

His door is open to the public from 1 to 3pm on the third Friday of every month. 

“It helps me connect, as mayor and council, with the community.” 

While he may not have immediate solutions or answers, Funk says part of his role is to direct people to the right department or organization that can help with their concerns.

Funk says residents also connect with him to discuss their ideas for the community, whether it’s business-related or plans for community foundations. 

He notes it was former Mayor Chris Goertzen who started the Open Door sessions and Funk decided to continue with this as he believes it’s a great way to build relationships in the community. 

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