The Mayor of Steinbach says he appreciates the warm outpouring from city councillors Tuesday night. Chris Goertzen was honoured by tributes from each councillor as he led his last council meeting before stepping down from the post. He responded by saying thank-you.

"I want to say thank-you for all of your kind words. They are generous and parts of it are true (laughter). But the reality is that we do this because we care about our community. Whether we are in those chairs or this chair or the chairs in our administrative offices, we all do our work because we love our community."

Goertzen says Steinbach is seen as a model by many communities across Manitoba and across Canada, something he attributes to the residents and the leadership here. He notes it takes hard work for a city council to be effective.

"Who on earth would create a corporation that runs $30 million worth of sales and put people together that don't choose to be together? But that's the system we are in and we have to make it work. I am very proud of all of you in how you have tried to make that work. You've been assertive in your beliefs, you've been assertive in what you stand for and you've been flexible when you've needed to be."

He also sends a great big thank-you to residents for their steadfast support over the years.

"You know, you go to many communities and they say, boy I'm just being beat up all the time. Well, it does happen to some mayors and some council members, but I have to say our citizens have, by far, been so supportive. They have been encouraging, they stop me and they grab my arm and say, Chris, we're praying for you or they say, Chris, I really don't agree with what you did on that one, but I'm sure you had a good reason for it. They're supportive and they have been really good, so I want to say thank-you to the citizens of Steinbach."

And, Goertzen gives thanks to his wife and family for allowing him the huge amount of time it takes to serve in public office and to his dad for setting a tremendous example of public service with his 30 years as a councillor in the RM of La Broquerie.