It's not often Ward 6 councillor Karl Wettstein is at a loss for words.
But there was a moment that happened Monday night as the longtime councillor closed out his final meeting after 15 years on council.
Wettstein decided not to run in the recent municipal election and his vacant Ward 6 seat will be filled by Dominique O'Rourke when the new council is sworn in next month.
Ward 2 councillor Andy Van Hellemond is also stepping down after two terms on council, replaced in Ward 2 by Rodrigo Goller.
Wettstein was first elected in 2000 and was elected a total of four times.Van Hellemond was not at Monday's meeting.
"Four terms on council and they were all very, very different. All very challenging, but all good people," Wettstein said after saying he hadn't prepared any parting words.
"What I'm most proud of is what we did with governance and internal audit," he said.
"The public doesn't pay much attention to it, but council knows how important it is," Wettstein said.
He said the last term of council experienced a "little glitch" when it came to governance, and urged council and staff to continue to work together in that area, adding that without staff on board "the will of council doesn't mean anything."
First-term councillor Phil Allt thanked Wettstein for his guidance and Van Hellemond for teaching him that the "meat and potatoes" are what matter most to constituents.
"Remember the leaves, remember the snow and remember the doggy-doo. That's what's most important to people," Allt said of the advice Van Hellemond gave him when he joined council.
Mayor Cam Guthrie praised both Wettstein and Van Hellemond.
"Karl has been a champion of the South End Community Centre for many years. That's a significant legacy he will leave for his Ward 6 constituents, and indeed the whole city," Guthrie said.
"Andy is known as the councillor who would come over to a constituent's home or business to talk face to face on any issue. He has been a tireless advocate for his constituents," the mayor said.
"Andy has been a quiet listener at council meetings who didn't take up a lot of time at the microphone, but everyone always knew where he stood."
The new council will be sworn in Dec. 3 with its first official meeting Dec. 10.
