The Town of Barrhead has a new council.
In a largely symbolic affair, Barrhead attorney Martin Driessen swore in the mayor and councillors for their 2017-2021 term during an Oct. 24 ceremony as part of council’s annual organizational meeting.
After being sworn, chief administrative officer Martin Taylor, allowed mayor and councillors an opportunity to make a brief statement.
“It is day one of what I think is going to be an interesting four years,” said mayor Dave McKenzie. “I am really pleased to see the team that the community has put together and I’m sure we are going to do some great things.”
It was a sentiment that was echoed by all the councillors.
After council’s opening statements, McKenzie took over as chair for the rest of the meeting.
The first thing on the agenda was selecting a deputy mayor. During the last term, the role was filled on a rotating basis with every councillor serving as deputy mayor for two months, something they agreed to continue.
Councillors then decided who would sit on council committees. Rod Klumph and Shelley Oswald agreed to sit on the Agricultural Society committee. Oswald will also sit on the twinning committee.
McKenzie volunteered to be council’s representative on the Barrhead District Drug Coalition committee, saying that he has been involved with the group in some shape or form since its inception.
The Barrhead and District Drug Coalition was founded by a group of community organizations in 2003, in an effort to combat the problems associated with the effects of alcohol and drug use in the community. In 2012, the group changed its name to Barrhead Cares to reflect its growing mandate.
Coun. Dausen Kluin will be the alternate.
McKenzie will also be council’s sole representative on the public services and Barrhead Regional Airport committees and will serve as an alternate on the enhanced policing school resource officer committee along with Coun. Shelley Oswald.
Councillors Ty Assaf and Don Smith will continue to serve on the Barrhead Fire Services committee with Kluin as alternate.
Coun. Leslie Penny will serve as council’s representative on Barrhead and District Social Housing Association, taking over for former mayor Gerry St. Pierre.
“I think I have been away from the health business long enough that I feel there is no longer a conflict of interest,” she said.
Penny will also continue to serve as the town’s representative to Communities Futures and Yellowhead East as well as the Barrhead Regional Landfill committee with Coun. Klumph, who will also serve on the Yellowhead Regional and Barrhead library committees.
Coun. Smith will remain on the Barrhead Water Commission along with McKenzie.
For the last number of years it has been tradition for a councillor and mayor to sit on the committee along with a reeve and councillor from the County of Barrhead.
Smith and Assaf will represent council on the Municipal Planning Commission while Kluin and Penny will sit on the appeal board.
Kluin also volunteered to take Assaf’s place on the chamber of commerce committee and will also serve as council’s representative for FCSS along with Penny as alternate.
