the
Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 47 Issue 03
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.10% 3 Year GIC - 2.26% 5 Year GIC - 2.80% Daily Interest 1.55%
638-3328
Friday, January 17, 2014
www.jackfinancial.ca
Driscoll plans to run for mayor; Whale won’t seek re-election
Snowshoe safety check - With school buses not running for a third consecutive day on Jan. 8, Maryborough Public School principal Tracey Kuchma and custodian Tammy Metzger took the opportunity to do a tour of the school grounds on snowshoes to check for damaged tree branches or other potential hazards caused by recent heavy snowstorms, in anticipation of a return to classes the following day. photo by Patrick Raftis
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - There will be a new mayor in Mapleton before the year is out. 2014 is a municipal election year in Ontario and incumbent Mayor Bruce Whale has told the Community News he will not be seeking re-election. Meanwhile, current Mapleton councillor Neil Driscoll filed nomination papers indicating he will run for mayor. Mapleton CAO Patty Sinnamon said Driscoll filed his papers during the first week of January (nominations opened Jan. 1). Whale told the Community News in a Jan. 10 telephone interview that he will not be seeking re-election as mayor. He also said he would not be running for any position on township council, but may consider a run for the Ward 2 seat on Wellington County council. That position is currently held by Mapleton resident and former local mayor and reeve John Green and Whale said he will consider running if Green decides not to seek re-election. Whale, who served multiple terms as a councillor in Mapleton before becoming mayor, garnered 1,273 votes to win a three-way race over mayoral candidates Richard Molenaar and John Linde in 2010. “I originally went into this with a one-term commitment in mind,” said Whale, noting the time frame fulfills both his commitment to his family and his electoral supporters.
BRUCE WHALE
NEIL DRISCOLL
“If there are some younger people with new ideas, it’s time for them to take over,” he added. Whale also said he hopes to find more time to travel with his wife, Deborah. Driscoll, a first-time councillor, garnered the most votes (1,419) among candidates for council positions in the 2010 election. He said he was aware of Whale’s intention not to run before filing his nomination papers. “I had considered (running for) mayor quite a while ago, but I wanted to do a term on council first to see how things would go,” said Driscoll. “I appreciate what Mayor Whale did as mayor, but I think the mayor needs to take a stronger position in council and the operation of the municipality and my goal is to be that person.” None of the other incumbent councillors - Jim Curry, Mike Downey and Andy Knetsch - have filed papers as of press deadline and no
new candidates have emerged so far. Curry, Downey and Knetsch beat out a field that included four other candidates to claim the remaining positions on council in the last election. No filings in Minto While nomination papers have been filed in several other Wellington County municipalities, no candidates have officially declared their intention to run in the Town of Minto. Key dates Voting Day for the 2014 municipal and school board elections is Oct. 27. The final day for candidates to file nomination papers is Sept. 12, which is also the final day for declared candidates to withdraw their names from the ballot. Mapleton Township voters submitted ballots by mail in 2010 and Sinnamon said a report recommending a mail-in vote for 2014 was be on the agenda for the Jan. 14 council Continued on page 6
Tragic crash claims life of local woman DRAYTON – A Mapleton woman died following a twovehicle accident near here on Jan. 10. Wellington County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a serious motor vehicle collision on Wellington Road 8 near Wellington Road 12 in Mapleton Township at approximately 6:16pm. Police say a 2002 Chevrolet driven by Clara Showalter, 69, of Mapleton, was westbound on Wellington Road 8, and attempted to turn into a private driveway. An eastbound 2007 Chevrolet, driven by a 19-yearold Mapleton Township man, collided with Showalter’s vehicle. Guelph-Wellington Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Mapleton Fire Rescue at-
tended the scene. Showalter was transported to a local hospital by ambulance and later transferred to Hamilton General Hospital for further treatment. However, she succumbed to her injuries and died in hospital the following day, Jan. 11. West Region OPP Traffic Collision Investigators (TCI) attended the scene to assist with the investigation. Following visitation at Heritage Funeral Home in Drayton on Jan. 14 and Calvary Conservative Mennonite Church in Elmira on Jan. 15, a funeral service for Showalter, who is survived by her husband Nathan and six children, was held at Crystal View Mennonite Church in Floradale on Jan. 16. Full obituary on page 7.
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SHOWTIMES: Friday and Saturday 8pm and Sunday 7pm
Big Film Fest: Mon., Jan. 20, 7:15pm. Featuring: “Cas & Dylan”. $10.
For more info call 519-343-3640 or visit www.norgantheatre.com
Weskate competitors - The Drayton Skating Club sent 33 representatives, including Sarah McIntyre, left, and Sierrra Martin, to the Weskate competition hosted by the Arthur Skating Club Jan. 3 to 5. Kelly Culp, Jeannette Shaw and Micayla Shantz worked hard to prepare the local skaters for this competition and were rewarded with good results, club officials note. submitted photo More coverage on pages 2 and 8.
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