First elected as Simcoe County warden for 2023-2024, Ramara Mayor Basil Clarke has been acclaimed for a second term which extends until the 2026 Municipal Election.
Creemore native Jennifer Coughlin, the mayor of Springwater Township, was also acclaimed as Deputy Warden for the upcoming term.
“I am humbled and honoured to receive the support of our Council and to continue representing them, our residents and communities as Simcoe County Warden,” said Clarke. “In my opinion, Simcoe County is one of the best places to live in Ontario and I’mcommitted to continuing to help our communities thrive. I also look forward to continuing to work with Deputy Warden Jenny Coughlin as we address both challenges and opportunities across our great region.”
County council approved a motion last month to move to an appointed, full-time county warden. If approved, this decision would take effect for the 2026-2030 term. Similar structures with appointed heads of council are utilized in many regions across Ontario, including in the neighbouring municipalities of York Region and Muskoka District.
“Having served as warden now for almost two years, while also serving as Mayor of Ramara Township, I support the move to a full-time, dedicated Warden,” said Clarke. “As our communities continue to grow, there’s great benefit to having a warden represent county council and our region’s best interests full-time.”
“We discussed at length the opportunity to reduce the size of county council. However, with little to no financial benefit of doing so to taxpayers, and belief that the current structure with our mayors and deputy mayors both serving on county council works well for our communities, county council chose not to reduce the size of our council,” added Warden Clarke.
Approval by county council to proceed with the full-time, appointed warden position is the first step in the legislative process. The next step will be a requirement to hold a public meeting to consider a draft bylaw that would change the composition of county council. If the bylaw is passed, it would then be sent to the 16 lower- tier member municipalities where a majority of their councillors must consent to the bylaw (the majority of municipalities consenting must also represent a majority of electors in the county).