Assahafa.com
After serving as acting mayor for more than a year, an Elliot Lake city councillor is now officially mayor.
At a meeting on Monday night, city councillors voted unanimously to appoint Andrew Wannan as mayor.
“This year has been challenging,” he said after the appointment.
“It’s highly unusual and we’ve all has our roles set and I think we’ve accomplished a lot.”
Wannan has been serving as acting mayor since January 2023 after the former mayor was removed from his seat.
That happened when a complaint was filed against Chris Patrie for violating conflict-of-interest laws.
The complaint came in 2019 when Patrie was a city councillor working on the location of a future multi-purpose sports and recreational complex. A court had found Patrie tried to convince his fellow council members at the time to build the project near a commercial plaza where he owns a store.
Patrie appealed that decision and lost. He is disqualified from running for office until January 2025.
‘Very proud’
At the meeting on Monday, councillors said Wannan was the right choice to be appointed mayor.
“This was not really the council that this group had hoped it would be,” councillor Norman Mann said.
“Acting mayor Wannan in the first year and to this point as well has led us with no hesitation whatsoever and I in no way want to change that.”
Councillor Charlie Flintoff agreed.
“I can’t think of a better person to continue to lead us for the rest of our term,” he said.
Wannan thanked the councillors for their support.
“As it was mentioned, the mayor unfortunately had to step down and taking up the reins as a team, I’m very proud of this group of councillors,” he said.
“I really look forward to serving for the next three years.”
Source: cbc
