By Cecilia Nasmith
Though it's customary for Northumberland County's warden position to change each December, incumbent Bob Crate has been acclaimed for a second term.
So has incumbent Deputy Warden Mandy Martin.
At the December county council meeting, their nominations were made by Bob Sanderson and Gail Latchford respectively.
Sanderson said his nomination was based on a couple of points.
“He demonstrated good leadership for the council throughout the last year. I think he has represented the county well on an external basis, and also it supports the fact that there are advantages to a two-year term for the warden,” he said of the incumbent warden.
“But primarily based on his performance in the last year, which has been totally open to council and to conversations – the good ones and the bad ones.”
“I think that Deputy Warden Mandy Martin did an excellent job with this position,” Latchford said.
“She tackled it well, as I knew she would, and didn't let anybody down – and it was partly, for those first few months, I know, a learning curve to figure out a deputy warden's responsibilities,” she added, referring to the fact that Martin is only the second councillor to hold this relatively new position.
“She has always been a good municipal neighbour, and I am happy to be able to nominate her again for this final year of this term,” Latchford said, referring to municipal elections to come in the fall of 2022.
Crate had already delivered his end-of-term address, expressing pride in such accomplishments as the increasing stock of affordable housing (and the innovative partnerships behind some of them), as well as such achievements as the 120 km. of road surface-treated and the continuing progress on the Golden Plough-Northumberland County Archives and Museum project.
Crate praised the kind of innovative programming that is helping small businesses enhance their on-line presence and strengthen their market position, as well as the services of Colborne's Ontario Agri-Food Venture Centre that launched 26 new food businesses.
The Ontario Health Team-Northumberland is a success story of the COVID-19 era, Crate said, and provincial funding for the Northumberland Community Paramedicine Program is making a significant difference to seniors still in their homes who need a little extra care.
The transition to two-stream recycling is now complete, he continued, creating a 50% waste-diversion rate from the county's sole landfill (with an ultimate 75% goal).
And all of it is played out against the backdrop of a second year of struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic. Crate praised the remarkable resilience of so many whose contributions to keeping the community safe have been invaluable.
In his acceptance speech, he said collaboration will remain the cornerstone of an effective and coordinated response.
“We will continue to pursue joint action to keep people safe and ensure the provision of programs and services on which people rely.”
Council then heard from Greg Rowden, chief of staff for Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Philip Lawrence (who was in Ottawa), as well as Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini.
Rowden said his office is currently handling a high volume of enquiries having to do with expected tightening of travel restrictions.
“This past year has again been hard on all of us,” he said.
“I want to thank all of you for the work you do to serve your constituents and the amazing municipalities throughout Northumberland County.”
Piccini agreed that it had been a very challenging year, but said “incredible kudos” should go those who effected the expansion of the Community Paramedicine Program.
He is pleased that his government legislated the daily four-hour care minimum for long-term-care residents and increased staffing levels in the homes. He also outlined steps the province is taking to increase the number of nurses for the health-care system.
Piccini added that base funding for Northumberland Hills Hospital has increased 30% over the past three years, and said there are 11 major infrastructure projects in the county (among them, the new arena in Campbellford, expansions to Colborne's Keeler Centre and the new seniors' centre in Port Hope).
