Hamilton’s mayor is acting on a commitment that he made a few years ago.
Fred Eisenberger says he is vacating his position on the city’s police services board, and will attend his final meeting next Thursday.
Eisenberger previously said he would not serve an entire term on the board, making way for a new chair and a new council appointee that could increase diversity and gender parity.
The announcement clears the way for Hamilton City Council to pick a new police board representative when it meets next Wednesday.
The mayor says he originally planned to serve two years on the board, after the 2018 municipal election, but the challenges of the pandemic plus the need to recruit and appoint a new police chief and deputy chief extended the time frame.
Exiting now, adds Eisenberger, will create the opportunity for a new board chair and a new council representative with a full year remaining during the current term of city council.
“Although the decision is council’s to make,” says Eisenberger, “my wish would be that the opportunity be taken to increase the inclusivity and diversity of the police services board, and by diversity I include increased gender parity.”
“To my knowledge, council has not appointed a female to the Police Services Board in the past 30 years, if ever,” adds Eisenberger.