When I stepped back from Council, I did so with clarity and optimism — not just about where our cities were headed, but about the role planning could play in shaping our future. For over two decades, I’ve worked at the intersection of planning, politics, and community, as a mayor, consultant, and researcher. I’ve seen the power of good planning to create liveable, inclusive, future-ready places. I’ve also seen how easily it can be derailed by short-term thinking — and how costly that can be for clients, communities, and councils alike. Greiss Planning exists to bring clarity, rigour, and steady leadership to the approvals process, so good projects can move forward with confidence.
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This article captures the emotion and symbolism of Mayor George Greiss’ final farewell council meeting, where he delivered his last Mayoral Minute and closed with the line: “And before honour is humility.” The piece describes a chamber filled with family members and colleagues, with every councillor giving a speech — some reflective, some raw — but all acknowledging the moment and the end of an era. It presents Greiss’ leadership tone as honest and open, but especially defined by humility, reinforced by the presence of his wife and young children in the gallery during an evening marked by both tears and cheers.
Beyond the farewell, the article places the moment in the wider election context, noting the scale of impending change ahead of the 14 September election — including a significant turnover in candidates and the likelihood of many new faces on council. The story ends with a strong civic gesture: CEO Lindy Deitz presenting Greiss with a compiled book of his Mayoral Minutes titled “The Book of George,” a physical record of his public communication and governance legacy. Overall, it reads as both a personal farewell and a snapshot of a council on the edge of major transition.
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