Ottawa council to see at least 8 new faces

Ottawa city council will have at leasteight and as many as 10 new faces as severalincumbentsappear to be on their wayout of office afterMonday'smunicipal election.

Former mayoral candidate and Bay Ward Coun. Alex Cullen andfellow incumbentsGlenn Brooks (Rideau-Goulbourn), Christine Leadman (Kitchissippi)and Rob Jellett (Cumberland) all appear headed for defeat.

Upsetting the incumbents were Mark Taylor in Bay Ward, Scott Moffatt in Rideau-Goulbourn, Katherine Hobbs in Kitchissippi and Stephen Blais in Cumberland.

Tierney, Fleury hold slim leads

In Beacon Hill-Cyrville, Tim Tierney is ahead of Michel Bellemare by181 votes with all polls closed, while in Rideau-Vanier, Mathieu Fleury has an 88-vote lead over Georges Bedard with all polls closed. Recounts are likely in both races.

The ward battles also featured four seats vacated by councillors who are either running for mayor as is the case with Capital Ward Coun.Clive Doucet or retiring, as is the case with Rideau-Rockcliffe Coun. Jacques Legendre, Knoxdale-Merivale Coun.Gord Hunter and Kanata South Coun. Peggy Feltmate.

David Churnushenko won inCapital Ward, Allan Hubley was the winner in Kanata South, Peter Clark won in Rideau-Rockcliffe and Keith Egli took Knoxdale-Merivale.

Councilgood forWatson: Robinson

CBC election analyst and former Larry O'Brien chief of staff Walter Robinson said the new council should be favourable to mayor-electJim Watson's efforts to bring more fiscal responsibility to city hall.

"It's a council favourable to Watson, one that leans to the right, kind of a red Tory or blue Liberal council," said Robinson.

While Watsonis likely to havesupporters in the new council, Robinson said the new mayor's call to shrink council may not go over as well as plans to limitspending increases to 2.5 per cent a year.

Thefollowing incumbentswere re-elected:

• Ward 1 Orleans: Bob Monette.
• Ward 2 Innes: Rainer Bloess.
• Ward 3 Barrhaven: Jan Harder.
• Ward 4: Kanata North: Marianne Wilkinson.
• Ward 5 West-Carleton-March: Eli El-Chantiry.
• Ward 6 Stittsville-Kanata West: Shad Qadri.
• Ward 8 College: Rick Chiarelli.
• Ward 10 Gloucester-Southgate: Diane Deans.
• Ward 14 Somerset: Diane Holmes.
• Ward 16 River: Maria McRae.
• Ward 18 Alta Vista: Peter Hume.
• Ward 20 Osgoode: Doug Thompson.
• Ward 22 Gloucester-South Nepean: Steve Desroches.