New town council to be sworn in on Dec. 1

The town’s new council, which will serve the municipality until 2014, will be sworn in on Dec. 1 at 4pm.

Originally, the inaugural meeting was set for Dec. 1 at 2pm, but as Clerk Kathryn Ironmonger explained on Tuesday night, Mayor-elect Lou Maieron asked the meeting be pushed back two hours.

Maieron, who defeated current Mayor Rod Finnie by just 122 votes, told the clerk he had many people who wanted to witness the swearing in, including several from out of town. Ironmonger said Maieron also did not want to pull his kids out of school early.

Councillor Josie Wintersinger said she does not have a problem with the request, but councillor Barb Tocher said her only concern is that staff would have to work overtime if the meeting is pushed back, and that would result in an extra cost for taxpayers.

Councillor Ken Chapman said he thinks Maieron’s request is “a good idea.” He added he has no problem with the staff working an extra half hour or 45 minutes for the swearing-in meeting.

Council approved changing the time to 4pm (Tocher was the only one opposed).