Aurora
May 20, 2008 02:51 PM
Councillor hopes province will address ambiguous Municipal Act
By: Simone Joseph, Staff Writer
John Gallo will become Aurora’s newest councillor to filling a seat vacated by Grace Marsh.
Mr. Gallo was just shy of winning a seat on the eight-person Aurora council in the 2006 municipal election placing ninth.
In a controversial move, Aurora council voted 5-3 Tuesday night in favour of appointing Mr. Gallo, instead of holding a byelection.
Since councillors make decisions in areas that directly affect your life, such as guiding how the town grows and develops and where your tax dollars go, a new councillor at the table can mean a significant change.
Mr. Gallo speaks to residents in a blog entry at his website www.johngallo.ca: “It was a healthy debate whether to have a byelection or appoint the next person in.
“I am happy that they (council) made this decision and look forward to working for the residents of Aurora”.
But not all of his new colleagues agree with the decision that landed him in the political arena.
Councillor Alison Collins-Mrakas, who voted against the appointment, sent a letter to the premier’s office Monday asking for more clarity on the Municipal Act as it relates to councils using byelections versus appointments to fill a council vacancy.
“You try to take the positive out of the negative. What can we do to make sure no other community faces this divisive issue?” she said Wednesday.
“A byelection should be the default.”
Former councillor Bill Hogg, who spoke in favour of a byelection at a raucous council meeting last week, is pessimistic the province will react to Ms Collins-Mrakas’ request right away.
“Historically, it falls on deaf ears. I don’t think it (the Municipal Act issue) has the political urgency for the provincial guys to make change,” he said.
But Ms Collins-Mrakas said Friday she has been overwhelmed by people’s responses to her letter to the premier.
Mr. Gallo could not be reached Friday.
When he ran for council in 2006, one of Mr. Gallo’s goals was “to elect a council and mayor who will have cohesion, mutual respect and a philosophy of working together for the common good.