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Coun. Rob Kloostra wants to be Orillia’s next mayor.
Kloostra, who won back-to-back elections to represent Ward 2, has officially filed his papers to seek the city’s top elected job.
“I’m super excited to announce that I am running for mayor,” Kloostra told OrilliaMatters today.
However, with the provincial election campaign underway, he said he would like to wait until after to talk more about his platform, ideas and goals.
The race to be Orillia’s mayor is wide open after Steve Clarke announced earlier this month he would not seek a third term. In 2014, Clarke captured 89 per cent of ballots cast to easily win the mayor’s job. In 2018, he defeated his lone rival, Gord Launchbury, by garnering 67 per cent of ballots cast.
So far, only a handful of people have officially entered the fray.
In Ward 1, David Campbell has filed his papers and will seek a second term.
Two-term Ward 1 Coun. Ted Emond announced earlier this month he would not seek re-election.
In Ward 2, a newcomer has thrown his hat into the ring. Alan Bayne, recently retired co-owner of Friend’s Diner, is seeking to represent the ward at the council table.
Longtime Ward 2 Coun. Ralph Cipolla has not officially filed his papers, but told OrilliaMatters he will seek re-election in October.
Cipolla was first elected as an alderman in 1977 and served for two years. He returned in 2003 and has been on council since — with the exception of the four years when Angelo Orsi served as mayor. Cipolla ran unsuccessfully for mayor that year.
Both Mason Ainsworth and Jay Fallis are seeking re-election in Ward 3. For Ainsworth, he is hoping to win a third term, while Fallis is looking for a second.
Nobody has filed nomination papers to run in Ward 4 yet. Earlier this week, incumbent Coun. Pat Hehn announced she would not seek a third term.
Tim Lauer could not be reached for comment.
