It’s been three months since nominations first opened for the municipal election last fall but Morley finally has a full council.
Morley’s fourth councillor, Gary Jolicoeur, was sworn in last week, joining Reeve Gary Gamsby and Couns. Bill Romyn, Ken Haw, and George Heyens.
“He’s been a councillor before and ran in the previous election,” noted Reeve Gamsby. “Now we can get our organization done and get things squared up.”
Filling the five council seats has been a challenge for Reeve Gamsby and Couns. Romyn and Heyens, who were the only three who filed their nomination papers for the Nov. 13 election.
“It was in the sense that we were short two after the nominations closed and then when we re-opened nominations the following week, we didn’t get anybody and were still short,” Reeve Gamsby recalled.
They also sent out flyers across the municipality before finally going out and asking individuals to consider the seats on council.
Now, with a full complement, Morley council can pursue its regular agenda. “One of the things we’re going to work on is our centennial, which is coming up in 2003,” noted Reeve Gamsby.
Morley council also has the 2001 municipal budget lying ahead of them.
“I think it’s fair to say that every year the budget challenge is more difficult but I think we’ll have no [levy] increase again,” said Reeve Gamsby.
“There’s special projects that we’ve had to put money into that we will no longer have to,” he explained.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
