Former mayor supports dropping deputy post, adding councillor

Posted October 15, 2012

Former Essa mayor David Guergis told Free Press Online this afternoon he believes eliminating the deputy mayor's position, and replacing it with a second councillor for Angus, would recognize that community's growth, and still save the township money.

Mr. Guergis, who lost the 2010 reelection bid to his deputy mayor, Terry Dowdall, remains active in local matters as a member of the Angus Ratepayers Association (ARA) which is requesting Essa investigate changes to the governance structure.

"Angus has grown to the point where about 50 per cent of the Township's population reside in Angus," Mr. Guergis wrote via email. "After much discussion on the issue at our ARA meeting it was felt that rather than grow Council we could just change the position of Deputy Mayor and actually save money as the Council position pays a little less than Deputy Mayor."

Because of the Simcoe County structure that includes the mayor and deputy mayor of each municipality, the ARA recommends that the councillor who receives the most votes in the election, serve at the County.

Mr. Guergis noted that he doesn't believe anyone will miss the deputy mayor.

"Having served as a Councillor, Deputy Mayor and Mayor, I had to agree with members that the position of Deputy Mayor has almost no responsibility," he wrote. "New Tecumseth undertook a review and made changes to keep up with changing demographics and we feel it is time Essa did the same."

Addressing rumours he was gearing up to run again for office in 2014, he said "while I have been asked quite a bit I have made no decision as of yet."

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