Mounce retires from village board after 20 years of service

By Kelsie Hoitomt

DOWNING — Gilbert Mounce has served on the Village of Downing board for 20 years with 13 of those dedicated to being the board president. He has officially retired from the board and was taken off the ballot for the April 2 election.

Mounce was first on the board in the 1970s when the village sewer was installed and plumbing in the village hall was as well. He spent some years off the board and then was re-appointed after Joe Heinbuch moved away and a new president was needed.

Mounce has lived his entire life in the area and knows the Village of Downing like the back of his hand. This has made him the go-to man for fixing everything from the plumbing to the lights and maintaining the sewer.

Mounce spent plenty of hours fixing signs and filling potholes. It was his duty to oversee road maintenance, paving of roads, renting out the village hall and taking care of the cafe while serving on the board.

For years now, Mounce has been providing his service and doing what he loves, which is helping others; whether it was working as an undertaker’s assistant, drilling wells, hauling mail or serving as president. He shared that in 1958 he was hired to shovel snow and still continues that to this day.

Mounce said that his “get up and go” just doesn’t want to get up and go as fast as it used to and that is a reason why he stepped down as president. However he has no plans of going anywhere and will be around to lend a hand to anyone who needs it.

Mounce shared that he would like to send a special thank you to the people in the village for trusting him throughout the years.