By Greg Higgins

N.B. mayor speaks about his change of heart

Sep 13, 2016 | 6:28 AM

Less than a week after announcing he will be running for re-election, Ian Hamilton ultimately decided his heart was in another place.

The mayor said his family was a big part of his decision.

“That’s four quality years I could be spending with my grandkids,” Hamilton said. “My whole family is here and I want to start prioritizing them. It isn’t that I’ve lost the passion for the community, but I have kind of lost it for the job.”

Hamilton said he was looking at his submission papers on Saturday and came to a bit of a revelation. After deciding to sleep on it, he woke up Sunday morning and still felt the same. He spoke at length with city manager, Jim Puffalt, Monday morning before releasing his statement.

Mayor Hamilton said he isn’t completely quitting the game.

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“Oh, I’m not done,” Hamilton said. “There is the Pinty’s curling tournament coming up and the winter games. I want to be on those committees.”

Hamilton wanted to emphasis the decision had nothing to do with his health, as he battled cancer two years ago. He said, currently, he has nothing new to bring to the table.

“I am very proud of what we’ve accomplished over the last 10 years. I wanted to see a lot of things through, but there is a tremendous council that is more than capable of doing that for me,” Hamilton said.     

Greg Higgins is battlefordsNOW’s city municipal affairs and health reporter. He can be reached at ghiggins@jpbg.ca or tweet him @realgreghiggins.