Ramara Township council appoints Joe Gough deputy mayor

Joe Gough, shown on election night in 2018, was recently appointed deputy mayor in Ramara Township -OrilliaMatters file photo

Failed deputy mayor candidate called process ‘pretty troublesome,’ adding: ‘I don’t think the people asked for that nonsense’

By: Nathan Taylor Orillia Matters 

Ramara Township has appointed a new deputy mayor.

During a recent virtual meeting, council opted to appoint rather than hold a byelection or invite the runner-up from the 2018 election to fill the seat that was left vacant when John O’Donnell died March 25.

Council voted 4-2 to fill the seat by appointing an existing member of council. Councillors Gary Hetherington and Ted Lamb voted against, as they did when it came to vote on the motion to appoint Ward 2 Coun. Joe Gough as deputy mayor.

The report stated council had the options to appoint “a qualified person who has consented to fill the office” — it could be a member of the current council or the second-place candidate in the 2018 election — to appoint by application from residents, or to hold a byelection.

“I’m in full favour of going to the public for an election,” Lamb said.

Hetherington said he would have preferred a byelection. However, with the state of emergency during the COVID-19 pandemic, it could be months before that would happen, so he said he was in favour of accepting applications from residents.

Coun. David Snutch supported the appointment of Gough, saying, “I don’t think the taxpayers need to incur the expense of an election right now.”

Gough, the only one to put his name forward for consideration, agreed.

“I’m not in favour of having an election. I think that’s a waste of taxpayers’ money,” he said. “We’re supposed to be making the hard decisions that need to be happening in the township, so I think we should appoint.”

He later told OrilliaMatters he was excited to take on the new role.

“It’s been a position that I’ve always wanted to achieve,” he said, adding he had intended to run for deputy mayor in the next election.