Steinbach city councillor Michael Zwaagstra has announced he will run for re-election this fall. He was first elected in 2006 and has served three consecutive terms on city council. Zwaagstra says he brings a lot of experience to the table and adds that will be especially important in the coming election.

"I think we need to keep in mind that city council is going to looking very different this fall. We will have a new mayor and we'll have at least three new members of council. And, I think it's good to have change. To balance that change with experience would be a good path forward. I think it's good to have a number of new members of council and I think it would also be good to have some who are experienced continue on council as well."

Zwaagstra says there are some big decisions to be made in the next few years regarding basic infrastructure and things like recreation facilities and he would like to be part of those discussions.

"This is an issue where we need to take a step back and do some evaluation of where the public is at in terms of some of our projects. We need to keep in mind that it's not just about big projects, it's also about smaller projects as well. But, we need to take a realistic appraisal of what the city has, in terms of resources, what partnerships are available, both in the private sector and from other levels of government and what the priorities are of the people. These are major decisions that we need to make over the next few years and I hope to be part of that."

Zwaagstra says he has a solid track record as being very careful when spending taxpayers' money and pledges to continue that going forward.

"We need to remember that many people in Steinbach are on fixed incomes and that is something that I hear loud and clear from many individuals. So, we need to have a proper balance. We need to look at what we are able to do, look at our resources and then make decisions accordingly, always keeping in mind that every dollar that we're spending is taxpayers' dollars. It's not our personal money, it's the money of the people of Steinbach and we need to always remember that."

In a news release, Zwaagstra outlined his key priority areas. He wants to uphold fiscal responsibility, promote openness and transparency, upgrade basic infrastructure, ensure a safe community, and improve recreation opportunities.