The winds of change are already blowing in Napanee, Ont., where months before people go to the polls, the lone mayoral candidate has officially been acclaimed.
After 12 years serving in the Greater Napanee town hall council chambers, four as a councillor, four as deputy mayor and then four as mayor, Marg Isbester is calling it a career.
“It’s going to be hard to let go. Anybody that says they can walk away and not think about it is not telling the truth. But at the same point, it will be nice to have a life that is semi-normal,” said Isbester.
With Isbester stepping away from municipal politics, another familiar face around the council table will be taking her seat.
Terry Richardson, who served as a councillor under Isbester, has officially been acclaimed as the next mayor of Greater Napanee.
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“It’s an extremely humbling experience. The fact that the community has allowed me to lead council for the next four years, it really is humbling,” said Richardson.
Richardson, a fourth-generation Napanee resident and former police officer, is coming off his first term as a councillor.
He says he’s looking to continue building on the strides made by this iteration of council as there will be some new faces around the table with the district one and two seats set to be replaced.
“What I would like to see is the town hall to be revitalized. We have a waterfront that is a diamond in the rough that needs to be developed. We have an industrial park that’s just screaming to be used,” he added.
As for the current mayor, there are no plans to sit back and relax.
“There will be some volunteering as well as things like Seniors Outreach, the MorningStar Mission has always been one of my favourite places to volunteer,” she said.
Isbester says she feels she’s leaving the right way and that she knows Richards is capable of carrying the torch.
As for the group that will sit around Richardson once he officially takes his seat as mayor, that will be decided at the Oct. 24 election.
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