INNISFAIL – Mayor Jim Romane, the town’s elected leader through the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, is calling it a day in municipal politics.
Romane announced to The Albertan on Jan. 2 that while he will serve through to the end of the current mandate, he will not be seeking re-election as mayor in the 2021 general municipal election, which is being held on this year on Oct. 18.
He has served on Innisfail town council for 22 years since 1988, with two separate terms as mayor.
“I am not going to run,” said the 74-year-old mayor.
Romane, who is afflicted with Parkinson’s disease, said his decision to call it a day in municipal politics is not due to health reasons.
"I am probably not as witty and quick as I used to be but I haven't had a problem that way mentally but if I am going to enjoy the last five or 10 years of my life, I'd better do it now,” he said. “I want to move on to do more random holidays and taking day trips and doing stuff.
“I am thinking of my wife (Bev). We are not financially strapped and I need the job or anything like that but it’s just time,” he said. “Bev totally agrees and said, ‘Let’s have some time for ourselves during the last few years here'.”
Romane said he believes he will be leaving the town in good hands when he serves his last day as mayor, noting there is now a “pretty good group of people” now on town council who represent a “variety of thinkers” for the public’s benefit.
“Sometimes that is good. It keeps everyone on their toes and thinking,” he said. “It’s good to have some positive stimulation for new ideas. I have always tried to do as much as that as I could over the years.”
Coun. Glen Carritt, who announced his mayoralty intentions late last year, said he wished Romane the best in retirement.
“Jim has put in a great many years of service, and that service is very much appreciated,” said Carritt, who has been a resident of the town for 30 years, and has known Romane since he was a teenager. “We’ve got some really good things rolling in town under his leadership, and I want to carry the torch and continue to move things forward in the community.”
Romane said his proudest accomplished over 22 years was spearheading the Downtown Revitalization Project, a three-phase $8.5 million project on Main Street that was completed in 2014.
“It was a huge undertaking for the community and the small businesses. It was quite a challenge for two or three years,” said Romane. “Golly, there has been all kinds of things. But that downtown project was a huge deal and I felt a huge accomplishment.”
Coun. Jean Barclay agreed the Downtown Revitalization Project was a huge accomplishment under Romane but added the skatepark project during the current term was also hugely important to the community, as was the mayor’s commitment to ensure it was completed.
“It was mayor Romane who said let’s find a way to get this built and we did,” said Barclay. “I don’t think someone’s legacy is necessarily connected to any one project, but rather how over the years you represent the community and citizens, which he has done well.”
As for the biggest disappointment, something he did not got accomplished? Romane said he always felt the town needed a marquee facility, like a state-of-the-art community hall, or a multiplex.
“Nothing has come from that yet. We are just tossing ideas around,” said Romane. “That is one thing I wish I could have gotten in place but we may get started in planning for it in 2021 but there is a lot of groundwork for a project like that."
“I just couldn’t get enough done. I was just glad to get that skatepark done after two years,” he added.
In the meantime, Romane may also be remembered in years to come as Innisfail’s COVID-19 pandemic mayor, who led the community through the worst public health crisis in more than a century.
Romane said he is pleased to be part of the leadership but was quick to point out the exemplary efforts by town staff.
“All of them really came to the table. We wouldn’t be where we are if they hadn’t,” he said.
“It wasn’t without a little bit of static, but golly the community backed pretty much everything that our emergency services committee put together,” he added. “I could not have done it without Todd Becker and his staff.”
