When Peterborough County council reconvenes for the next term on Dec. 1, half of council will be different with eight new members.
On Wednesday, council tied up all the loose ends from this term and held its final meeting, where eight outgoing councillors were honoured at the end of the meeting for their dedication to service within their townships and at the county level.
“Any accomplishment we have made, we’ve done it together,” outgoing warden J. Murray Jones said.
“It was an emotional day today.”
Jones, the longest-serving warden in the county’s history and the current outgoing mayor of Douro-Dummer Township, did not seek re-election and is retiring from municipal politics after 24 years.
“I really need some time off. It’s been a stressful last 11 years. I want to hide for a bit and take some time off and think about the things in life that are important,” Jones said.
“I’ll have a little more time to do what I want to do and spend more time with my wife. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be here.”
One by one, each councillor that isn’t coming back said their thank-yous and goodbyes and then received a plaque from the county.
“The day I walked into this room, it was like a fairyland. It was so far above anything I ever dreamt as a child,” Trent Lakes Mayor Janet Clarkson said.
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Clarkson said when she got to the county chambers for the first time, there was only one other woman there.
“I was asked to speak about women in politics. I say it’s darn hard work. Anything a woman does, she better do twice as well and stick with twice as long. It’s an uphill battle and it hasn’t changed and I think it has gotten even worse,” Clarkson said.
Cavan Monaghan Mayor Scott McFadden has spent 12 years on county council — two terms as mayor and one as deputy mayor of his community.
He delivered a lighthearted goodbye speech.
“This was never a dream of mine!” McFadden laughed as he addressed council.
McFadden joked about how he enjoyed having disagreements with just about everyone on council over the years but that he respected and enjoyed every minute of working with his peers.
“I do wish you all the best!” McFadden added, as he went up to accept his plaque.
Andy Mitchell, the outgoing mayor of Selwyn Township, is retiring after spending four years on Peterborough County council and almost 30 years working in elected and non-elected public service, including 13 years as a member of Parliament for Parry Sound-Muskoka.
He prepared a speech thanking many people, including his wife and five children.
“I want to thank all of my colleagues and the staff, who have helped me do my job and help me serve my residents,” Mitchell said.
“I also want to thank the people of Peterborough County and more specifically Selwyn Township, as well as the people of Parry Sound-Muskoka. Without the support of these people, I wouldn’t have been given the privileges to serve.”
Asphodel-Norwood Mayor Rodger Bonneau was the only councillor to be unseated in the election; the other seven chose to not seek re-election.
“It’s a tough go losing a campaign but I am thankful that I have a good core of council back in Asphodel-Norwood as well as terrific staff,” Bonneau said.
Bonneau also noted that the county was in good hands with Sheridan Graham as the chief administrative officer.
“It’s been a pleasure, an honest pleasure, working with each and every one of you,” he added.
Also leaving council are Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Deputy Mayor David Gerow, Trent Lakes Deputy Mayor Ron Windover and Douro-Dummer Township Deputy Mayor Karl Moher.
According to CAO Graham, the combined county-level experience of the eight councillors that are leaving is 87 years.
The next council will be sworn in on Dec. 1.
The warden election, which is voted on by the councillors, is the same day.
Nominations for the next warden are due to the clerk on Nov. 14.
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