At the Wednesday Dec 1st session of Lanark County Council, a new warden or chair of county council for 2022 was acclaimed. Perth Mayor John Fenik has served twice before as the head of council (in 2010 and 2018), a position annually determined by vote of council. Fenik replaces outgoing Warden, Mississippi Mills Mayor Christa Lowry. In his remarks he noted that work would continue on the major issues facing the County; affordable housing, expanded internet service, climate control, and the redevelopment of the County-owned long-term care centre, Lanark Lodge.
At the same meeting the standing committee chairs were also chosen. Past-warden Lowry was acclaimed as chair the corporate services committee. The community services committee will be headed by Klaas Van Der Meer, Deputy Reeve of Montague Township who was elected over Beckwith Deputy Reeve Sharon Mousseau. The economic development committee chair election resulted in Mississippi Mills Deputy Mayor Rickey Minnille taking that helm. And the Reeve of Drummond/North Elmsley, Steve Fournier will be next year’s chair of the public works committee.
At the first full council meeting with the new chairs in place, council voted to send a letter of support to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation on behalf of the Calvary Christian Academy/Calvary
Christian High School explaining the immediate need to establish a community safety zone on Highway 15. The current speed limit at the school’s highway entrance is 80 km/hr and school officials are extremely concerned about the risk to student and visitor safety with that speed limit.
The community services committee received a report from Lanark Transportation indicating that due to coming drivers’ wages adjustments, their rates would be increasing 5% next year.
Article by Brian Turner
