CONNIE TABBERT
EDITOR
COBDEN — A military wife and mother of three is the new administrative assistant for Whitewater Region Township.
Danielle Howatson, who lives with her family in Petawawa, started with the township on July 7. She had been employed in a similar position with the County of Renfrew, but only on a contractual basis.
“I was looking for a permanent position,” she said. “I was working contract for the County of Renfrew, and the specs of this are very closely aligned with the job I was doing at the County. But, this one is permanent and full time.”
Ms. Howatson is the “front line contact” for the municipality.
“I’ll be taking the complaints and the queries about garbage and roads, they all come through my desk first,” she said.
While new to the position, Ms. Howatson said some of her jobs include putting together the council package, doing reports and accepting tax and water payments.
“Now part of the job description is minutes for council, which I assume we’ll get to,“ she said. “It’s exactly what I did at the County of Renfrew, but everybody’s a little bit in flux right now and assigning duties still.”
Married to Robert the couple has three children — Emma, Cael and Leah. They have lived in Petawawa for almost two years. Previous to that they resided in Greenwood, Nova Scotia and Trenton, Ontario. Ms. Howatson grew up in Campbellford, Ontario, where she still has family.
“Cobden, for me, is very reminiscent of Campbellford,” she said. “One main street that goes through and everything is on it and everybody’s on the street catching up with the news and weather. That’s very familiar to me.”
Ms. Howatson encourages the residents to come and say hello.
“Everyone here has been brilliant for helping me out,” she said. “They’ve been kind, helpful and welcoming. I appreciate that.
“It’s difficult for me, as a military spouse, to pick up and move and to start again and meet new people,” she said, explaining, “My husband knows many of the people already when we move.”
Her biggest hurdle is employment, because without knowing anyone it’s that much more difficult to get a job. Ms. Howatson was a law clerk for 13 years and while living in Greenwood couldn’t find a job so started a house keeping business. It was so successful, a girl friend now owns the business.
She believes, “If you can’t find work, and you want to work, you make it up as you go. I need that interaction with people.”
She said living in the Ottawa Valley is similar to living in the Annapolis Valley.
“It’s a different lifestyle,” she said. “A different sort of way of life. In Greenwood, it’s small, not a lot of people. Here, there’s a high concentration of people in a small area.
“But, it’s funny. There we lived in the Annapolis Valley and here we live in the Ottawa Valley. And there’s a lot of parallels.
“People are really friendly and helpful, welcoming and nice,” she said. “It’s just carried over for us.”
While Ms. Howatson enjoys spending time with family and friends, she enjoys going for a run with her girl friend.
“It’s a good way to blow off steam,” she said with a laugh.
Mr. Howatson is in the airforce and working on the Chinoooks with 450 Squadron.
The family is now preparing to move into their own home in Petawawa. With her children now in school, Ms. Howatson said the couple purchased a home, knowing this is where they will live for a long time.
“With my youngest two children in school now, it’s time to settle down,” she said. “We’re planting some roots for the first time in quite a long time.”
