Essa mayor outlines township priorities

Fiscal strategy needed for new term of council, says Dowdall
By Richard Blanchard Innisfil Scope December 8 2010
With the largest crowd in attendance in recent memory, the new Essa Township council was sworn into office last Wednesday afternoon in Baxter.

Almost 200 residents turned out for the ceremony, held at Living Faith Presbyterian Church. With a choir from Baxter Central Public School providing a selection of Christmas carols and singing O Canada, township Chief Administrative Officer Greg Murphy served as Master of Ceremonies.
The oath of office was administered to ward councillors Keith White, Mike Smith and Ron Henderson, deputy mayor Sandie Macdonald and mayor Terry Dowdall by township clerk Shawna Stone. The Chain of Office was presented to Dowdall by the last Baxter area resident to be reeve of the township, Mervyn Denney. Denney noted that it was exactly 50 years ago that he was sworn in as reeve.
In a brief inaugural address, Dowdall welcomed everyone and said that he had learned, since moving to the township 15 years ago, that its residents are ‘down to earth, generous and humble people’.
“I look forward to this term with staff and council. I have great confidence in Murphy and the rest of the department heads to work with us,” he said.
Dowdall said the council would be faced with a number of challenges over the next four years, particularly the township’s fiscal situation.
“But with the adoption of a strategic plan, which will lay out the key issues which we want to deal with, and an action plan to put them into place, we can move ahead,” he said.
Dowdall said that he wanted to see an increased emphasis placed on improving and increasing the township’s commercial and industrial base.
“Revitalizing and filling in the commercial sector in Angus will be an important issue.
“Council will continue to work on upgrading the township’s road system, with paving of those roads which are still gravel,” he said.
Dowdall said he wants to continue to work with representatives from neighbouring municipalities, to share services.
“We have worked well with New Tecumseth and Adjala Tosorontio with policing. We have a strong history of sharing services,” he said. “We have elected a strong team to council for the next four years and I am really excited about the coming days.”
Macdonald said that she was pleased with the calibre of the new council.
“I hope that using a strategic plan and an action plan to implement our objectives will help us make a lot of progress over the next four years,” she said.
Also in attendance were New Tecumseth council members Mike MacEachern, and J.J. Paul Whiteside, Adjala Tosorontio mayor Tom Walsh, Oro-Medonte mayor Harry Hughes, former Collingwood mayor Chris Carrier and Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson.
A reception was held after the ceremony in the church hall.

Essa’s new council sworn in
Mayor outlines priorities for new term
By Brad Pritchard Simcoe.com Dec 09, 2010
Essa residents, council family members, township staff and dignitaries were all on-hand to welcome the new members of municipal council: Mayor Terry Dowdall, Deputy Mayor Sandie Macdonald, Ward 1 Coun. Keith White, Ward 2 Coun. Michael Smith, and Ward 3 Coun. Ron Henderson.
During the hour-long ceremony, each member of council took the oath of office and inked the documents presented by the clerk, making their elected appointment official.
As per tradition, Mayor Dowdall was given the Chain of Office to wear around his neck, which was presented to him by former township reeve Mervyn Denney, who served Essa during the 1950s. This was followed by a brief thank you speech.
“I’m absolutely honoured and humbled to be chosen as your mayor… I am very proud of Essa Township and welcome the opportunity to represent this great community and all others outside this area. I can honestly say Essa Township is full of down to earth, generous and welcoming people,” he said.
Dowdall then switched gears to talk business. He said council will have to focus on communication on all levels and ensure residents’ concerns are properly addressed, an issue of contention which arose during the election campaign.
“It will be important to keep lines of communication open to address problems as they arise,” he said.
He used the recently implemented yard waste pickup days as an example of this.
“Residents seemed to want it…so we went forward and council listened, and I know we will listen this term,” he added.
He said the other first issue of business will be implementing a long-term strategic action plan to “focus the time, energy and resources of the township towards priority items.” He said part of the plan will be looking to shift future growth and development from residential to commercial and industrial, which will further increase the town’s tax revenues and spark job creation.
Council’s first meeting is set to take place Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m.