City says farewell to former mayor

City says farewell to former mayor | iNFOnews.ca

PENTICTON – The City of Penticton expressed its condolences to the family and friends of Ivan C. Messmer, a former mayor of the City of Penticton, who passes away recently.

Ivan Messmer was elected to Penticton council in 1975, taking on the mayor’s role in 1980. Prior to becoming mayor he ran a construction business. Messmer held firm in the belief that Penticton’s future lay in bringing new business to the city. He believed in encouraging secondary business and increasing and broadening the tax base.

Penticton residents must have agreed with Messmer’s policies, re-electing him three times. He resigned his council seat in 1986, taking on provincial politics as MLA under the Social Credit banner. He was selected for a cabinet position, eventually serving as solicitor-general.

Messmer continued to be active in the community following his retirement from politics.

Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said Messmer was highly regarded in Penticton and the area.

“His service to the community did not stop with government office; he was generous with his time, devoting even more energy in retirement to bettering the community through volunteerism. On behalf of city council, condolences go to his family and many friends. He will be missed,” said Mayor Jakubeit.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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Steve Arstad

By Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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