by Connie Tabbert
Editor
COBDEN — There is now a new council for Whitewater Region Township. The swearing-in ceremony was held before a crowd of family, friends and staff Wednesday afternoon.
Following a short meeting, each council member was asked what`s in the future for the township.
Mayor Hal Johnson is hopeful of involving the people of the township in the operations of the township.
“I want to change the procedural bylaw to allow private citizens, from time to time or on full time, on committees that they have expertise, to help lead us in the right direction,” he said.
While there is much expertise on the new council, there are some areas where there is no expertise and that is where people from the community can help out, he noted.
The promotion of Whitewater Region Township is also a priority for Mayor Johnson.
“I want to promote this township,” he said. “We want to make people want to come to this township, from Greenway Crescent all the way through to Highway 653, and when we get them here we’re going to keep them here.”
Mayor Johnson expects there will be changes throughout the township, but that happens when new people come on council, because they will do things differently. As for staff, he said there will be new demands in various areas, however he believes council and staff will work well together.
He also believes there is some work for residents within the township as well.
“We are going to promote this township,” Mayor Johnson said. “We want to have the people of Whitewater Region say I’m from Whitewater Region, but I live in LaPasse, I live in Foresters Falls, I live in Cobden, but I’m from Whitewater Region.
“That will require a lot of work,” he said, adding, “And I believe we have the people that are going to be able to do that.”
Reeve Terry Millar said he will have to learn about municipal politics and make changes within the township.
“Personally, I’d like to see economic development as a priority and explore that opportunity for Whitewater Region,” he said.
As for his position on county council, Reeve Millar is hopeful he will be placed on the economic development committee.
Councillor Chris Olmstead was busy knocking on doors during the municipal election and the one thing people kept saying was they wanted change.
“I’m looking forward to the next four years to really learning and working hard,” he said. “The constituents have voted for change, so we will try to affect that change in the best way that we can. Really, we need to get our feet wet and understand what the constituents really want.
“When I asked what do they want changed, they never really told me the change,” he added. “I’m looking forward to working with the community to find out what they really want.”
Councillor Dave Mackay is hoping to serve the people well and make Whitewater Region Township a better place to live in.
“It’s not a bad township, but there’s always room for improvement,” he said.
Councillor Charlene Jackson is hopeful of bringing the community more together over the next four years and improving the lives of the residents by offering more services. She feels it’s important to review the services now offered and see if they can be improved on.
She’s also hopeful there will be improvement in some of the services, as they are not working cohesively as she thinks they can, considering they were amalgamated 14 years ago.
Councillor Cathy Regier, who is entering her second term as a councillor, said she is looking forward to new and fresh ideas from new council members.
“I’m hoping in four years we’re in a better position than we are today,” she said.
She is hopeful there will be a lot of economic growth in the next four years.
Councillor Daryl McLaughlin is now the experienced council member, but realizes he has only 11 years under the belt. He recalled that when he came on council, most had about 20 years experience.
He is looking forward to the change that will happen, and the learning that will have to occur as well.
“We have to learn to accept each other,” he said. “It’s going to be quite a learning curve for everybody, not only the new ones but also the old council, because there will be different formats, different thoughts, different ways of doing things. I think it will be challenging but it will work.”
While he understands people voted for change, like other council members, he’s just not sure what that change is. There was much change in almost all the municipalities within the county, he said.
“I think the change is they want people with new ideas,” Coun. McLaughlin said. “I don’t think they want major and big changes, just new ideas. That’s where I’m coming from for now.”
