Joe Kushner will not be returning to his seat at St. Catharines city hall after October municipal election
As he prepares to retire, a St. Catharines city councilor believes he'll be the longest serving councillor not only in Canada, but the country's history.
Joe Kushner is calling it quits, mainly due to his health, having battled cancer a number of times.
He advises new councillors to trust experienced councillors. "Also, follow the advice that my dad gave me in broken English. He said 'Jovi, your job is to serve the pooblic'... everyone likes that expression, serve the pooblic."
He's not running for re-election, after serving the city for over 50-years.
He recalls it wasn't easy for him in the beginning, due to a development in West St. Catharines.
But, he persevered. "I advocated for open council meetings, and they said if we open them up, there'll be too much grandstanding. I said if you can't be frank, then you shouldn't be on council."
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