THUNDER BAY — The Thunder Bay at-large council race has remained as status quo as it possibly could, with sitting councillors earning three of the five spots.
Incumbents Mark Bentz and Trevor Giertuga retained their seats, while Shelby Ch’ng was successful in her bid to turn to an at-large role after having represented the Northwood ward during the previous two terms.
The three experienced councillors will be joined by two newcomers.
Rajni Agarwal claimed the fourth spot, while Kasey Etreni held off Shane Judge by 295 votes to claim the fifth and final position.
"I didn't know if I was going to win or where I'd be. I gave the message of let's build our economy, and everyone listened," Agarwal said. "We will all work together with the council we have.
"We need communication and we need democracy. That's what we got. We got a great council based on what everybody in Thunder Bay wants."
Bentz, the top vote getter in the at-large race, will serve his fifth council term and second consecutive in an at-large capacity. He was first elected to represent Northwood in 2003, holding that position until 2014. He was then elected at-large in 2018.
Giertuga will be back as the longest continuous serving member of council. He was first elected in McIntyre in 2000, which he kept until 2018 when he transitioned to run at-large and won election.
Ch'ng, who ran unsuccessfully provincially under the Liberal banner in Thunder Bay-Superior North in June, will now represent constituents across the entire city after having spent the past eight years as a ward councillor.
"It feels good to have the support in the community," Ch'ng said. "It’s humbling and I’m ready for another round."
Agarwal, a long-time local realtor, said she never considered herself a "council person."
"I'm a business person. I know business. I know real estate. I need the protocols from people who have been seasoned in council," Agarwal said. "It's really important to have them here, their voice and their wisdom.
"We can't just do all new. Some people wanted all new. That can't happen. In my opinion, I need somebody with history to tell me what they did and what they didn't do, what could be done, what could be done better."
Etreni, a recently retired hospital radiation therapist, has also been a prominent volunteer in the local sports community.
Judge, a retired city hall reporter who came up short in mayoral bids in 2014 and 2018, was the first candidate on the outside looking in. The list of names behind him included former provincial Thunder Bay-Atikokan Liberal candidate Rob Barrett, second-time municipal candidate Stephen Margarit, and retired city police officer Jim Mauro.
