South Bruce Peninsula council has made the decision to appoint Deputy Mayor Jay Kirkland to the position of mayor.
Council had a discussion this morning that mainly centered around whether to hold a by-election to fill the Town’s vacant mayor’s seat or to appoint the deputy mayor.
Council voted 3-1 against holding a by-election (Councillor Caleb Hull voted for a by-election). Councillor Kathy Durst nominated Kirkland and he was acclaimed.
The bylaw appointing Kirkland will be on an upcoming council agenda for consideration. If passed, he’ll be sworn in.
Former Mayor Garry Michi resigned in August after audio of Michi circulated in which he made disparaging remarks about the neighbouring Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation.
When the audio circulated, both Nawash and Saugeen First Nation condemned Michi’s comments in statements they issued.
The Town of South Bruce Peninsula made a statement saying it did not align itself with Michi’s comments. Bruce County made a similar statement.
Council had been set to vote on August 30th on a motion to call for Michi’s resignation, but Michi resigned the day before that meeting.
- South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Garry Michi Resigns
- Former South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Apologizes: “I Make No Attempt To Justify This”
In Early September, council declared the Mayor’s seat vacant and Deputy Mayor Jay Kirkland has been acting head of council.
Today’s discussion mainly weighed two options: appointment or a by-election. According to a staff report, a by-election would have cost around $40,000, not including staff time and would have taken three to four months to do.
Councillor Caleb Hull said during discussion, with the amount of time left in the term, he felt it was best to have a by-election, saying, “Municipalities need to be prepared for by-elections. Our society has grown to expect that our government is able to run elections at appropriate times.”
He said with regard to appointment, “I have a really hard time with this. It’s not an emergency. We have three years left in our council term.”
But, Hull said, if there was to be an appointment, he felt the one reasonable option would be the deputy mayor, explaining, “I think this way because many people vote for a deputy mayor to be in a position to learn from the mayor and stand in one day in a day-to-day short-term or long-term capacity.”
Councillor Kathy Durst said during discussion, she wanted to focus on community well-being and felt a by-election would create further division, saying, “I think the actions of how we got here were shameful,” adding she felt the Town was now working to repair relationships. “We have lost face,” said Durst, adding, “We are considered to be, you know, the next drama in the municipal world by some other municipalities. This has really rocked this municipality to its core and I think that a by-election at this point would only serve to expand that and create a larger division.”
She added, “I also think that it is in the best interest of the community to appoint the current deputy mayor into the mayor’s position. He brings a wealth of knowledge. He brings stability, he brings a service level, certainly he brings due diligence on the tax situation. He is well respected in this community and well-liked, and I think that he is someone who I believe this council can work with. He’s respectful of diverse opinions for sure, and I think we want all of that in the person that leads this council.”
Following the acclamation, Kirkland said, “This has not been a position that I, in the recent past, have been looking to have. I’ve always prided myself as being a good councillor and reasonable at the table…very stubborn and hard at budget times, to make sure staff keep on track and I will continue to do that. I am prepared to be what I would look at as the calm in the future of council. I’m not out seeking press and trying to build my ego. I more or less like to keep things at this council table and I respect everybody’s opinions. I hope that you understand that, that everybody does have an opinion and when we vote, I expect the majority to vote and when we come to a decision of a majority i would surely appreciate council to move forward as one.”
He continued, “I’ve lost a lot of votes in my time and I’ve always moved forward as council. I’ve never moved forward as myself. I appreciate that– if that could be the way we move forward. We’ve got a large docket to try to overcome and we’ll move forward one step at a time. We’ve got a great staff and that is one of the reasons that I am stepping up to be the mayor and appreciate being the mayor. I will do the best I can, but I know I’ve got a great staff and council behind me so thank you for that.”
The Town’s website says Kirkland has served six terms on council, three as a councillor and three as deputy mayor.
His family has lived in the Hepworth/ Sauble Beach area for generations. Kirkland once operated a grocery store in Sauble Beach.
