Earlier this morning, Deputy Mayor Jim McManaman publicly announced that he and his wife are relocating outside of North Grenville in late February, 2022. This is an unforeseen development, but emerged as a result of Mr. McManaman’s family decision to purchase an exciting business in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
Mr. McManaman formally notified Council in a closed Council session of his departure, given the closing date of the sale of their home in Kemptville, Ontario on February 24, 2022.
The Municipal Act, 2001 states that an individual cannot hold an elected position if they do not reside, own or lease property, or are the spouse of such owner or tenant, in the community they serve. Consequently, Mr. McManaman will step down February 24, 2022.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank Deputy Mayor McManaman for his steadfast commitment to North Grenville over 28 years as a business owner, volunteer, community leader and, most recently, Council member and Deputy Mayor. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Jim over the last three years, and, while we are certainly sad to see him go, we wish him and his wife, Cathy, all the best in their next adventure,” said Mayor Nancy Peckford.
Mr. McManaman is also the outgoing Chair of the iconic Sweetheart Brunch in North Grenville, which has raised just under $400,000 for the Knight’s Food Bank and other local charities. He was a founding member of the Economic Development Advisory Committee for North Grenville, past Director of the Grenville Community Futures Development board, and served as a Foundation Board member for the Kemptville District Hospital. In 2018, he was nominated for the Harry Pratt Ambassador Award for his contributions to the community, including his role as founder and President of the North Grenville Business Builders (NGBB).
Selecting a New Councillor:
The Municipal Act, 2001 directs Council to replace a vacated seat within 60 days of the day the seat is declared vacant, either through a by-election or an appointment.
According to North Grenville’s By-Law 51-16, section 2.1, adopted in 2016 by the previous Council, “If a vacancy on Council for Councillor occurs more than six months after the Municipal election, Council shall fill the vacancy by appointing a person”. The bylaw outlines a specific process for fulfilling the appointment, including an open call for candidates, and conducting interviews in public.
As such, Council will be opening the application process on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, for interested and eligible applicants who wish to be appointed to the vacated seat on Council. The application process will close Thursday, February 17, 2022, at 12:00 pm sharp. Applicants need to be at least 18 years old and a Canadian citizen. They must reside in, or they must be the owner or tenant of land, or the spouse of such owner or tenant of land, in the Municipality of North Grenville. Otherwise, they are prohibited from voting or assuming an elected seat.
Following the close of the application period, the Municipal Clerk will examine each application that has been filed to ensure it meets the requirements of the Municipal Act, 2001, and the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, and, if satisfied, certify the application. Selected applicants will then be interviewed during a Special Committee of the Whole meeting later in February, which shall be open to the public.
“In terms of filling Mr. McManaman’s seat, Council is working towards a seamless transition, given that there are just a few months left in this term, and there is still a lot to accomplish,” emphasized Mayor Peckford.
Decisions about replacing Mr. McManaman on several committees and boards on which he served in his Council capacity, as well as the Deputy Mayor position, will be made at a later date.
“Most of the decisions about how to fill the roles that Mr. McManaman occupied will come once we have made an appointment to replace him,” added Mayor Peckford.
For more information on the process visit www.northgrenville.ca.
