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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2012-12-13, Page 11PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012.South Huron’s Robertson named 2013 warden George Robertson, mayor of South Huron, will be Huron County’s warden for 2013. Robertson beat out Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan, who began the Dec. 5 meeting as warden and was bidding for a second term. There has not been a two- term warden in Huron County since former Huron-Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell was elected in 1999 and 2000. MacLellan announced his intention to seek a second term in the summer and he was soon followed by Robertson who said he and his fellow South Huron councillors and staff members had been preparing for this for over a year. Robertson told councillors and collected members of the audience on Dec. 5 that he had discussed the possibility of running for warden shortly after being elected as South Huron’s mayor in 2010. He said his fellow councillors were prepared to take on greater roles within the municipality and staff members were ready for his increased absence, should he be elected warden. Robertson was nominated by Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh (ACW) Reeve Ben Van Diepenbeek, who cited Robertson’s political experience, as well as his time with various police departments and the Canadian Armed Forces as reasons why councillors should consider electing Robertson warden.Van Diepenbeek detailedRobertson’s work with the CanadianArmed Forces, including his time with the country’s airborne unit as well as his time with the UN forces. Upon returning to Huron County after serving his country, Van Diepenbeek said, Robertson served as a municipal police officer before taking on a position with the OPP. Robertson began his career in municipal politics as a councillor before moving up to the position of deputy-mayor and then in 2010 he was elected mayor. Robertson said he was running for warden in order to implement the recommendations of consultant George Cuff’s report. He said council had begun the process, but he wanted to continue to implement the changes. He said he wanted to proceed in a way that would make the county’s dealings as transparent as possible. While being a Huron County councillor for six years, Robertson said, he has learned something from every warden he has served under. He said he was hoping to bring his own unique experiences to the job just as those six men had done. MacLellan, who was nominated for the position by Bluewater’s Tyler Hessel, said few words in his bid for a second term, just that he hoped he has helped to elevate the profile of the county in his year as warden. “I hope I’ve been a good representative of Huron County and that I’ve been someone the public can be proud to have as their warden,” MacLellan said. He said that whether he was elected to a second term as warden or not, he would continue to work for the betterment of the countyregardless of the outcome of theelection.Hessel said MacLellan’s record as warden speaks for itself, but the real reason he was nominating MacLellan for the position was because he is a family man and he has the support of his family for a second term of warden. After the vote was conducted (one councillor, Central Huron’s Jim Ginn, was absent for the meeting) Robertson was declared the winner and MacLellan handed over the “key to the county” as well as the warden’s gavel and several other items associated with the warden’s job. Upon taking his position at the head of council, Robertson said he was honoured to take on the role and added that the last time he had been so dressed up was when he married his wife Pamela. Robertson said he was looking forward to implementing the recommendations contained within the Cuff report and that he was not going to do the job alone. “I think we can work as a team,” Robertson said, “and I’ll never hesitate to ask for help.” Wishing Robertson well in the year ahead was Bill Strong, representing Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb, Sarah Ross, representing Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson and Ted Doherty, director of education with the Avon Maitland District School Board. The first meeting of Huron County Council under Robertson will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013 beginning at 9 a.m. at the Huron County Courthouse in Goderich. && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& Find && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& 242)3+2' +1.23215 )!'1504+ The Healthy Homes Renovation T && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& +1)30*00''+..2 $53530+ 21+*542'12+) The Healthy Homes Renovation T && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& 5.405''+*12 5(+(5,45 40#+0*10+,342 axnovation TTa && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&&30+1.15) 40,3+*.40 ) && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&&30+.+115)++ 2315'+ 0*' ) && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&&5)4+, 15'3 15'(21'12 && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& Paid for by the Government of Ontario ),3*2+,-2./5012345 && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& Paid for by the Government of Ontario "#"!!#!!"#$%'+(5,)&& && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& !#! #"#$%&& && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& && && & && & & & & & & & & & & && & & & & & & & & & & & && && && & & & &&& &&&& & &&& &&&& &&&&&& Pledging his word South Huron Mayor George Robertson, right, beat out Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan, left, for the right to be called warden in 2013. MacLellan, who looks on as Robertson reads his oath of office, was bidding for a second term in the top seat. Helping Robertson through the oath is acting Chief Administrative Officer Heather Adams. (Shawn Loughlin photo) By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen