By Cecilia Nasmith

It used to be so simple – Northumberland County council would elect a new warden each December meeting to preside in the coming year. Some years, the spot was even filled by acclamation.

Now, with the unsettled times brought on by COVID-19 and the recent history of having a warden resign (leading to the creation of the Deputy Warden post), things have taken a turn toward more complexity, and how these positions will be filled was the subject of a report at county council's October meeting.

Recommendations came from a report by director of corporate services Lisa Ainsworth, who offered several options but recommended the one called Nominations/Secret Ballot Vote (if required)/Results.

The nominations for the following year's warden (in this case, the warden for 2021) will be taken at the November county council meeting (in this case, on Nov. 18). If one nomination results, that individual is acclaimed and begins to sit as warden at the December meeting (in this case, on Dec. 16). In case of more than one nomination, each councillor can deliver his or her vote to the county office prior to the December meeting, when the results will be announced.

The same process, one month later, will determine the coming year's Deputy Mayor – nominations taken in December followed by acclamation or a vote prior to the January meeting, at which time the results will be announced.

The motion passed by council also outlined changes to the governance-structure work plan for standing-committee heads. Council members will state their preferences as to which committee they would like to head at the November meeting. At the December meeting, the new warden will finalize chair positions.

“I think the one area we have had some discussion about is how to manage the balloting and voting process, and we felt all councillors would be able to get to the county office over a period of time to drop off their ballots rather than mailing them in,” Warden Bob Sanderson said.