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Municipal candidates respond to election success

November 3, 2022   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

With the 2022 municipal elections now in the history books, the New Tecumseth Times reached out to successful candidates to ask how they feel about being elected and what they hope to achieve early in their tenure.

The New Tecumseth Town Council changed considerably during this election. The Town has a new mayor, deputy mayor, and six new town councillors.

Here’s how they responded.

Mayor – Richard Norcross

I am extremely excited to be elected as mayor of the Town of New Tecumseth. It is an honour and privilege. Thank you to the residents for putting your trust in me. Sincere congratulations to all those who put their names forward.

The new council will take office Nov. 15. We will immediately bring all the new members up to speed on all outstanding issues and make the transition as smooth as possible.

Deputy Mayor – Stephanie MacLellan

When I launched my campaign I wanted to prove to you I was the woman for the job. Thank you for giving me that opportunity and your trust. I won’t let you down. I will bring our concerns to county council and make sure we are getting the services we deserve. I believe communication is the key to good effective governance and will continue to keep residents informed on issues that affect them. This term I will focus on fiscal responsibility, road safety and building a livable community. I’m ready and excited to get to work for this beautiful community

Councillor Ward 1 – Chris Rapin

On election night I was sitting on my couch awaiting the results, not wanting to take a possible defeat in front of a bunch of people. When the votes came in and it showed a mathematical win I made my way over to Boston Pizza where I was cheered loudly by a bunch of people that I didn’t know. That’s when I became aware that this wasn’t my win, there was a group that felt that this was their win as well. What a humble feeling. It was then that the weight of the position made itself known.

First on my plate is to meet with all the people I will be working with over the next four years. I will also establish an effective way to communicate with my ward residents. In terms of priorities, I believe the budget will have to be looked at first, then I hope that we can, as a council, come up with some solutions to the speeding in our residential areas.

Councillor Ward 2 – Wendy Gabrek

I’m extremely honoured and excited about the opportunity to represent our residents. Finding out I had won was one of the happiest moments of my life. I am ready for the responsibility of this role – a role I take very seriously. Thank you to everyone who voted and to everyone that helped me along the way. To my fellow candidates, especially those who ran in Ward 2, congratulations on an excellent campaign, well done. To my fellow members of council, I look forward to the next four years, working to make a difference in the community we all love. Thank you!

Councillor Ward 4 – Alan Masters

I found my experience campaigning for council very informative and rewarding as I spoke with many residents to share my ideas and thoughts and to hear their views. I have been a resident in The Town of New Tecumseth for 44 years raising our four children with my wife Wendy. I have worked as an advocate for the town over the years using my professional expertise and knowledge to contribute to road improvement and other issues. As councillor, I plan to use all of my expertise and skill to help make our town the best possible place to live for the future of all residents.

In Ward 4, my immediate priorities are to continue to push for a fire station with a better response time and distance for the Briars and east end of Alliston and work towards attacking the speeding and other road-related issues. I will promote improvement to our current public transit system to offer residents access to shopping in the west end and other locations. In addition, I will be mindful of our responsibility in reducing our carbon footprint and the greening of our town. I will promote a new “workable business development plan” for our town and review efficiencies in our operational costs among other ideas.

Councillor Ward 5 – Marc Biss

I’m thankful that I have the honour to represent, and support, the residents of Ward 5, and all of New Tecumseth. My first term on council (2014-2018) was extraordinary, and I expect our new 2022-2026 council to achieve remarkable results. I’m eager to begin reviewing the 2023 town budget and work with the exceptional team of professionals on town staff to address the public safety concerns of our residents.

Councillor Ward 6 – Nicole Cox

I am incredibly grateful to have been elected by the residents of Ward 6 and given the opportunity to serve the town that helped to raise and shape me into the person I am now. 

The budget process will be commencing shortly after the new council is sworn in. I will request that more detail is provided within the review than in previous years. Allowing the opportunity for increased input and the ability to scrutinize for efficiencies with the intent of spending every dollar the right way.

Councillor Ward 8 – Andrea Jacks

I am honoured to have been elected by the residents of Ward 8 as their next municipal councillor. Throughout the campaign, I recognized the experience and contributions made by the previous candidates I was running against, and by winning, I feel responsible and motivated to perform at a high level in this role. 

As Councillor, I look forward to connecting with the good people in Tottenham by providing transparency and communication regarding the issues & events that impact them. I will strive to operate with integrity and discernment and ensure that the decisions I make in the council chamber reflect the voice of Tottenham residents.

Voter turnout

This year’s voter turnout for New Tecumseth is 27 per cent, with 8,578 out of 31,757 eligible voters casting a ballot.

In the 2018 municipal election, New Tecumseth saw 9,493 out of 27,773 eligible voters cast a ballot, representing a turnout of 34 per cent.

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