Meaford mayor Ross Kentner hosted a New Year’s Levee in the galleries at Meaford Hall on the afternoon of Sunday, January 7.
The mayor and members of council welcomed residents to chat, socialize, and welcome in the new year before council gets back to work on Monday, January 8.
In his announcement on social media, Mayor Kentner noted that the annual levee is an important tradition as it encourages communication between residents and ratepayers and elected representatives.
“The levee is an opportunity to meet your councillors and municipal staff members informally and to socialize, which is important if we are to work together through the year on the problems and opportunities we face together,” Kentner noted on social media.
In between greeting residents, and welcoming them to the Hall galleries, Kentner told The Independent that he is looking forward to the challenges of the coming year.
“It’s an important year for Meaford. It’s the second year of our term, and it is also Meaford’s sesquicentennial,” Mayor Kentner told The Independent. “This year is going to be really busy, and within the next two weeks we’ll get the first draft of the budget, and what I can tell you is that it isn’t going to be easy. We have a council and a staff that is determined to be part of the solution, and not part of the problem. Obviously there will be an increase (for ratepayers in the 2024 municipal budget), we’re adding every year for infrastructure, roads, bridges, and facilities, but we’ll be trying to ensure that it will not contribute to the pain people are feeling in rather tough times.”
Asked if his first year serving as Meaford’s mayor had been what he had expected, Mayor Kentner acknowledged the challenges.
“Well, you know what? There was more change than I had anticipated, but I think that it’s going to be good change, and what I liked best was that our council is really keen, they see an opportunity for Meaford to grow and develop, and they want to be part of that, and we’re all on the same page on that,” said Kentner adding that he and the rest of council are striving to ensure that new development won’t detract from current residents’ sense of place and community.
