For many in the territory, Sept. 1 was about getting back to school and into fall routines.

For two city councillors, it marked the kick-off to their campaigns for re-election.

Betty Irwin and Dave Stockdale have both announced their plans to seek another term in the Oct. 15 municipal election.

A win would put Stockdale into his 12th term on council, having first won his seat in the December 1983 election.

Irwin would enter her third term in office, having first been elected in 2009.

Stockdale holds the record as the longest-serving municipal politician in the territory.

During an interview Tuesday afternoon, he pointed out the Canadian record most likely goes to former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion. She spent 36 years in the role, opting not to seek re-election when her last term ended in November 2014.

It took Stockdale some time to decide whether he would run again, but he said a number of people asked about it and encouraged him to let his name stand on the ballot.

“I still enjoy it,” he said. “I still feel I have a lot to offer.”

In 2012, Stockdale placed fifth among the 22 councillor candidates, taking 1,650 votes.

A retired school teacher, the 74-year-old says he has the time needed for the work of a councillor.

He believes that when presented with all the information available on an issue, he works to make good decisions for the community.

While he wants to continue working to make Whitehorse a better place, he did not consider running for the full-time role of mayor.

“It’s all-consuming,” he said of the mayor’s role.

As a councillor, he said, he still has the time to be involved with a number of other groups and activities around the city.

“We all have equal input,” Stockdale added, pointing out everyone on council, including the mayor, has one vote on each issue.

As he gets set to begin his 12th election campaign for city council, Stockdale said the city’s project to consolidate its operations into two main buildings will be a major focus of the next council along with continued efforts on waste diversion.

If elected, Stockdale said he would like to bring back the proposed zoning for an outdoor sports complex.

A 3-3 vote earlier this year defeated the rezoning of an area in Whistle Bend for the complex that would include soccer pitches and a running track in the first phase.

Stockdale declared his anger over the defeat (a tie vote by council means the issue is defeated) at that time by storming out of council chambers for the remainder of that meeting.

On Tuesday, Stockdale said he would like to see the issue return to council chambers when all seven council seats are full.

The tie vote came after former councillor Kirk Cameron resigned his role after city manager Christine Smith fired without cause Robert Fendrick and Brian Crist, two long-time city directors.

Supporting affordable housing initiatives, working to limit tax increases and continued work to improve relationships with other levels of government would also top Stockdale’s goals should he be elected for the 2015-2018 term.

In separate interviews, both Stockdale and Irwin noted the positive work coming out of the vulnerable people’s forum earlier this year, a joint effort led by Mayor Dan Curtis and Kwanlin Dün First Nation Chief Doris Bill.

Both councillors also cited improvements to the transit system (including extending evening service and partnerships that provide high school and college students with transit passes) and the monthly neighbourhood meetings the city hosts with residents as positive initiatives which began in this term.

Irwin also pointed to the establishment of the city’s CCMARD (Canadian Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination) committee.

She noted council opened up its council and senior management meetings and discussions about the budget to the public this year prior to the spending plan coming forward at a council meeting.

“Now to get (the public) to come,” she said with a laugh, noting she would also like to see more voters out to the polls.

Like Stockdale, Irwin is happy to remain in her role as councillor – running for mayor didn’t cross her mind.

“Being mayor takes a special kind of person,” she said, noting it’s not a role she would want.

As a councillor, she said she’s very much enjoyed her two terms in office and would like to continue that work.

“It’s been exciting; it’s been fun,” the 82-year-old said.

Irwin placed second among the council candidates in 2012, taking 2,537 votes.

Looking at the next term of council, Irwin said waste diversion will continue to be a major issue for Whitehorse and all municipalities and the territory to deal with.

“We have to continue to work to solve these problems,” she said, noting the need to come up with solutions that won’t “kill citizens with fees.”

The building consolidation project, which Irwin described as a “monumental undertaking for the city,” will also be a major focus for the next council.

After two terms on council, Irwin said, she now realizes how “terribly important” the city’s Official Community Plan is.

The plan serves as a guiding document for planning throughout the city. Irwin noted she would love to be part of the next update of the plan, expected to get underway in 2017.

Irwin is also looking forward to continued reconstruction of the downtown area – with work on Ogilvie Street and Sixth Avenue coming up – and noted her hope the city may be able to access federal funds for that work.

Irwin’s and Stockdale’s announcements leave Coun. Jocelyn Curteanu as the only member of council not to publicly state her plans for the fall election.

Contacted this morning, Curteanu said she is still not ready to make an announcement.

Councillors John Streicker and Mike Gladish will not be seeking re-election, while Curtis is running for a second term.

Other candidates who have announced their intentions to run include Cameron, former councillor Samson Hartland and small business owner Micah Quinn.

The deadline for nominations is noon Sept. 24.