Bill Altenhof hopes that serving as a councillor in the Town of Tecumseh will allow him to benefit its residents.

The UWindsor engineering professor won a byelection Friday to replace the late Michael Rohrer in the town’s Ward 2. His 676 total votes put him well ahead in a field of six candidates, with almost half of the 1,359 votes cast.

“Ultimately, it’s about giving back to the community which has been so good to me and my family,” says Dr. Altenhof, who was born and raised in the village of St. Clair Beach, which amalgamated with Tecumseh in 1999.

He says he will take his cue on priorities from voters.

“One important item you obtain from campaigning is feedback and concerns from residents,” Altenhof says. “I heard a lot about safety on our streets — traffic safety, pedestrian safety, bicycle safety. We want our streets to be safe for all and the best approach is to take a pro-active approach to best ensure no incidents occur.”

He says his experience as an engineer will come in handy on the file, and in getting him up to speed on issues facing the community.

“I am fortunate to have sat on a number of federal, provincial, and university councils and committees and I believe these experiences will bring me up to speed quickly,” he says. “The 2017 budget will be a topic in the very near future.”

Altenhof indicates that engineers are often brought into situations which need immediate attention: “Generally, engineers get involved in tasks and activities very quickly.”

His first council meeting is October 25.