The torch has been passed.
Members of the community gathered at the Collingwood Legion on Monday morning to inaugurate the 2018-2022 members of council.
“I did say many times throughout the course of my campaign that I believe the word ‘community’ has two root words. One of them is common and the other is unity,” said Mayor Brian Saunderson. “Community is really what drives us here today. If we focus on what really pulls us together as a community, what our aspirations are... we’ve won the lottery here.
"If we celebrate that, then the issues moving forward, where we may have a difference of opinion, will not be so big.”
Saunderson received the presentation of the Chain of Office from his father, William Saunderson.
“My pledge as your mayor... is that my door is always open. I’m there to work with council and staff to make sure our decisions are made with a process you can understand that is open and with integrity,” said Saunderson.
Many of the incoming councillors provided words of wisdom and pledges of love and support for family and friends.
“On the night of the election, we’re all aware there was a bit of a hiccup,” said Deputy Mayor Keith Hull during his speech. “The silver lining is the fact that, in other places around the world, a hiccup such as that would have sent an election into chaos. There would have been accusations of misleading.
“Thankfully we live in Collingwood, and not the state of Florida and other parts of the world,” said Hull.
The first regular meeting of the new council will take place on Dec. 17 at 5 p.m.
