Mackenzie, B.C. –  Pat Crook  is the Mayor Elect  in Mackenzie, the first time in nearly a decade that  someone other than Stephanie Killam  will hold that office.

Killam had been mayor of that community since 2005 and was first elected to  Council in 1996, but  decided  it was time for a change.

She says she knew Pat Crook wanted to take a shot  at being Mayor,  so she mentored him  for the past  term, and supported  him in the campaign.

“I will miss a lot of the things, but you know what, I won’t be very far” says Killam.

There have been  some major challenges  faced by Mayor Killam during her  time at the head of Mackenzie’s Council “The  worst time of course was when this town lost all 1500 jobs. But you know,  the best out of all  of this,  was the way the community came together and really worked hard to make sure we didn’t disappear off the map.”

Killam  says she will continue to live in Mackenzie and  will be busy with  other projects and boards on which she serves “ I still sit on or chair a number of provincial committees and I’m  also doing a number of things within the community.  I’m not going very far,  I’m not  leaving town, and I will probably be part of the whole  make up of the  community and assist those who need it.”

As for her advice  to Pat Crook, the  former Councillor who will now  take her place in the Mayor’s chair? “Work with the community, work with the Council  and move the community forward because there’s lots there for us to do.”