The Votes Are In

Tuesday, 28 October 2014 06:38

Trevor Birtch celebrates his victory Monday night at Woodstock City Hall

Some new faces for councils across the county with some familiar faces returning.

OXFORD COUNTY -- There will be many new faces in council chambers at Woodstock City Hall next term.

The mayor's seat will now be filled by Trevor Birtch, who walked away with 40 percent of the votes. Birtch beat out incumbent Pat Sobeski by 542 votes.

Birtch watched the results come in with his wife and children at their home before arriving at City Hall once he was declared the winner. "I'm feeling really good. People of Woodstock had a lot of concerns to share with me at their doorsteps and I think this is a great time for Woodstock. It's going to be a new time of openness where people will be working together in this community."

Connie Lauder, who missed out in the 2010 election, finished at the top of the poll for city councillor. New candidates Jerry Acchione, Shawn Shapton and Todd Poetter will occupy the other three councillor positions.

Deb Tait and Sandra Talbot are back in as city-county councillors.

Ingersoll residents cast over 4,000 votes in Thursday’s election. That equated to 45 percent voter turnout. Ted Comiskey remains as Mayor of Ingersoll capturing 2,930. It was a close race for Deputy Mayor with incumbent Fred Freeman narrowly edging John Fortner.

Mayor Ted Comiskey had this to say following his win; “It feels fantastic, I love this town and I love the energy that it has and it looks like this year’s council for the next four years will have phenomenal energy.”

There is a mix of new and old faces on council including newcomer Reagan Warnick-Franklin and returning councilor Kristy Van Kooten Bossence. Michael Bowman, Gordon Lesser and Brian Petrie will fill the other five seats on council.

And over in Tillsonburg, Stephen Molnar has returned as Mayor after a four year absence.

He commented it was a very close race with the other candidates and will be working closely with them to reach out to the people in the community. "And ultimately the next step is to focus on December and start working towards the creation of a well balanced organized council to work for the next four years on behalfof all the people of Tillsonburg."

Dave Beres was elected Deputy Mayor while the five councillor positions were won by Maxwell Adam, Penny Esseltine, Jim Hayes, Chris Rosehart and Brian Stephenson

Molnar says he embrace all the people during his term and listen to the volunteers and citizens to make sure that for the next four years the doors are open and the people of Tillsonburg are the ones who have the real say on where they are going as a community.

It's a third term in the mayor's chair for Margaret Lupton.

More than 48 percent of those eligible cast their ballot for the municipal election in Zorra.

491 votes separated Lupton from former Councillor Gord MacKay.

Lupton says the newly started Economic Development Department for the rural areas is quickly becoming a priority for her for the coming term.

"I'm very excited about that. I think that's going to make some huge changes and benefits for the businesses and the residents so I'm looking forward that. There are a lot of smaller projects that are on the way but that one is one that is just starting and I've been sort of pushing at that for several years so I'm quite excited that it's going to come."

All of the council positions were acclaimed prior to Monday with Ron Forbes, Marie Keasey, Marcus Ryan and Douglas Matheson making up the rest of the council table.

Marion Wearn says she feels privileged to be able to represent the people of Blandford Blenheim for another four years.

Just under 32 percent of those eligible came out to cast their vote with Wearn defeating Jeff Glendinning for the mayoral position.

Wearn says she's looking forward to working with the new people on council and seeing what they can accomplish together.

"Keep moving ahead and keep working on behalf of the people of Blandford Blenheim. I think that's probably the goal of everyone that was elected this time around."

Wearn will be joined at the council table by Randy Balzer, Bruce Banbury, Betty Cowan and Mark Peterson.

After eight years, the Township of Norwich was a new Mayor.

Burgessville resident Larry Martin won the position by 160 votes over Don Doan.

Martin says he would like to think his success was a result of this work going door to door.

"After about the first month it was just getting to meet all the people in the Township and realizing there was support there that you didn't really realize you had until you knocked on their door and talked to them. It was a really satisfying experience. I wouldn't want to do it every summer no. It's been a long summer but it was enjoyable."

Once the dust settles, Martin says he's ready to get to work.

"What I'd really like to do is just keep tax increases to a minimum but without knowing what the financial situation is, it's going to be difficult to predict."

John Scholten squeaked out a Ward 1 by just 7 votes over Roy King. Lynne DePlancke, Jim Palmer and Wayne Buchanan round out the rest of Norwich Council.

Across the county, David Mayberry was re-elected in South West Oxford and Don McKay was acclaimed as mayor of EZT in September.

Click here for the full results across Oxford County.

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