Morantz to leave city hall, no matter what happens with Charleswood Tory nomination

Coun. Marty Morantzhas ruled out another run in the Charleswood-Tuxedo ward, whether or not he secures the federal Conservative nomination inCharleswood-St.James-Assiniboia-Headingley.

Morantz said Thursday he will leave city council in October when his term runs out and he will donate his severance pay to charity.

As recently as May, heleft the door open for a second council term.

"I'm focused on winning that nomination and going on to run in the next federal election and win the seat for the Conservative Party of Canada," Morantz said in a telephone interview.

Liberal MP Doug Eyolfsoncurrently holds the west Winnipeg seat.

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Morantz will be entitled to at least $26,479 in severance pay, based on his four years of public service and his 2017 compensation of $114,741.

Councillors are entitled to three weeks of pay for every year they serve, up to the equivalent of six months of annual pay.

In 2014, Morantz voted alongside Mayor Brian Bowman and four other members of council to end the severance payments. The bid was defeated by a 10-6 vote.

Morantz nonetheless intends to donate his severance.

"I checked with the clerk's office and it turns out they have to pay it out, so what I've decided to do is donate 100 per cent of it to either a charity or a number of charities," he said.

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No fewer than three other members of council will not return to city hall this fall.

Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry Coun. Jenny Gerbasiplans to retire from council after serving five terms, while Point Douglas Coun. Mike Pagtakhan plans to leave city hall after serving four terms.

As well, current St. Charles Coun. Shawn Dobson and St. James-Brooklands-WestonCoun. Scott Gillinghamare competing against each other in a newly expanded and renamed St. James ward.

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As well, the future ofTransconaCoun. Russ Wyatt remains up in the air after the four-term councillor was charged with one count of sexual assault.

Prior to his arrest on Tuesday, Wyatt mused about retiring from council, running again in Transcona or running for mayor

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Gerbasi stands to receive somewhere inthe vicinity of $57,460 in severance, while Pagtakhan is in line fordeparture pay at about$56,113.

Should Wyatt retire from council or be defeated in the Oct. 24 election, he's in line for about $51,575.

Gillingham and Dobson, who both served four years, would receive approximately $26,521 and $23,487, respectively, should either be defeated in St. James.