COOPER WINS

For the first time in its 152-year history, the people of Collingwood will have a woman as mayor
By MORGAN IAN ADAMS Collingwood enterprise Bulletin October 27 2010
In the end, it could almost be considered anti-climatic.
Sandra Cooper, as what seemed to be a widely-expected result in the weeks leading up to Monday, handily won the race to be Collingwood’s mayor, with 5,702 of 8,447 votes cast for the position.
The numbers will remain unofficial until confirmed by the clerk’s office; that was expected either yesterday or today.
In winning, Cooper becomes the first female mayor in the town’s 152-year history, as well as the 42nd person to sit as the head of council.
Around 9:30 p.m., the count was unveiled; Cooper — the deputy-mayor for the last two terms — finished well ahead of the four other challengers for the position.
Councillor Kathy Jeffery, who was first off the mark in announcing her candidacy back in early January, was a distant third with 964 votes.
“I’m disappointed; I can’t say that’s what I expected (as a result),” she said. “The voters have spoken, but it doesn’t take away from what this council has done. What I heard throughout the campaign was that people were happy with some things.”
Jeffery said the voters weren’t necessarily clear on some of the financial issues; the town’s debenture debt was a prominent issue during the debates.
“I’m comfortable with what I’ve done; you have to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes to understand they’re decision-making,” she said. “But there are some solid citizens in that line-up (of elected candidates), and the town is in great hands.”
Political newcomer Mike Young finished a surprising second to Cooper, pulling in 1,447 votes
“It’s kind of what I expected,” he said. “I’m glad to see change in council; there are some fresh voices in there.
“More than anything, I was looking at a shake-up; that seemed to be the right approach.
Eammon Paterson secured the support of 225 individuals, while 109 people voted for Ray Branget.
 The night was obviously Cooper’s, though, and in spite of a hoarse voice, she beamed as she walked into the kleig lights of the cameras waiting for her at town hall.
“It feels fantastic,” she told the media, with her son Shawn at her side; at press time, Shawn Cooper was leading in his race as the local Catholic school board trustee.
“I heard shoo-in, landslide (before the election); I said, ‘don’t count on it until the polls close’,” she said. “But the people were ready for change.”
Cooper said her first priority will be to tackle the budget.
Cooper says she wasn’t surprised by voter turnout, which topped the 50% mark; 8,657 people voted in Collingwood.
“People were crying for change, and the only way to have that happen is to mark an ‘X’,” she said.
Cooper said her campaign team worked hard, and they knock on doors until Monday; that seemed a good strategy, as nearly 2,000 ballots came in to town hall in the last couple of days.
Cooper said she was looking forward to sitting down with her council, and “looking forward to the next four years.”
Deputy-mayor-elect Rick Lloyd cruised to an easy win over Norman Sandberg, 5,836 to 2,311.
Lloyd, who lost to Chris Carrier in the 2006 mayoral race, said he was “overwhelmed.
“The message was clear: people wanted change,” he said. “And we have to listen to them, and quite some of the nonsense.
“I think this is a dynamic council, and I couldn’t have picked a better council,” said Lloyd.