The first Thompson city council meeting since the death of Coun. Judy Kolada a little more than a week prior saw councillors pay tribute to the long-time municipal politician and deal with some housekeeping items related to her roles on city committees and the future byelection that will be held to fill her seat.
Mayor Colleen Smook began the April 27 meeting with a moment of silence in the late councillor’s honour. The mayor’s report at the conclusion of the meeting saw Smook and others offer condolences to Kolada’s family.
“It would have been 25 years in October that she was in council and right up to the last week, last few days even, we were giving her updates on what was happening in council,” said Smook. “She was still taking in the knowledge and still being very much a part of it. Thank you, Judy, for all your years of service. Knowing her for 40 plus years, she’s a big loss to our whole community.”
“I just would like to extend my sympathies to the family of Coun. Kolada,” said Coun. Jeff Fountain. “I’d just like to say for the public that Coun. Kolada has been very focused on delivering service to the community. I will certainly miss her quite a bit and I have many many fond memories of my time working with her.”
Coun. Duncan Wong, who served as a councillor alongside Kolada for one-and-a-half terms, also offered condolences and said it would feel different without her in council chambers.
“The year-and-a-half that I served with Coun. Kolada it certainly was enriching and certainly she had a lot of knowledge that she passed on to us new people and I too will certainly miss Coun. Kolada.” said deputy mayor Les Ellsworth.
Earlier in the meeting, council voted unanimously to appoint Coun. Earl Colbourne to the development review committee, formerly chaired by Kolada, who was also the chair of the city’s human resources committee. Those committees are now chaired by Coun. Brian Lundmark and Coun. Kathy Valentino, respectively.
Council also voted 6-1 in favour of a resolution to appoint Norma Howitt as the city’s senior election official to replace Dave Turpie, who submitted his resignation effective April 28. The only councillor to vote against the resolution was Fountain, who asked the mayor how the city determined who the next senior election official would be.
“The city does that in conjunction with municipal affairs,” said the mayor. “There was conference calls back and forth with them and then people that are interested, they talk to and that is how it is determined. Mr. Turpie had been talked to a few times in the last few months.”
Fountains asked if an open competition for the post had been held.
“I believe there had been an open competition earlier in the fall,” Smook said. “There was no suitable person, I believe, and it has come forward now with the passing of Coun. Kolada that it has sort of forced our hand.”
Lundmark did not participate in the meeting, which was broadcast on Facebook and could also be watched via Zoom virtual conferencing.
