Wayne Potoroka says he won't seek another term as Dawson City's mayor
Three-term mayor says town is in a good place and it's time for someone new to take over
After three terms as the mayor of Dawson City, Yukon, Wayne Potoroka says it's time to move on.
In a Facebook post, Potoroka announced he won't run in October's municipal elections.
"When I first ran for mayor I made a list of things I wanted to get done and told myself when I was mostly through that list I'd be ready to leave...," he wrote. "I don't think anyone ever gets through their list, but I've ticked off most of the items on mine. It's time."
Potoroka said work is underway for a new recreation centre, a water metering program and land development. He also said the town is in a good financial position.
He led the town through the establishment of a troublesome wastewater treatment facility, built and run by the Yukon government, as well as several controversies over the former Slinky mine site on Dome Road.
More recently, town council was involved in a sometimes-acrimonious debate over the future of the Gold Rush Campground. The town wants to use the land, which it leases to the park's owners, for housing. But many in the town's business sector are opposed to the move, saying it will hurt tourism.
Potoroka was first elected mayor in 2012 and also served three terms on council. He was acclaimed for the mayor's job in 2018.
"The role has been demanding, but it has given me a sense of achievement and reward unlike anything I've experienced," he wrote in his Facebook post. "From helping set the town's high-level direction to assisting residents with whatever they needed a hand with, I will cherish all of it forever."
Municipal elections in the Yukon are scheduled for Oct. 21.
With files from Mike Rudyk