Three new committee heads

Steve Newman, Renfrew Mercury

February 7, 2013

As is customary each January, the Renfrew mayor makes changes to the town council’s committee structure. Mayor Bill Ringrose did just that while appointing three new committee chairmen at council’s Jan. 28 meeting.

“I think the committee system is working very well,” said Ringrose, before noting he was making a few changes to give some council members more exposure. The changes include new chairmen for the finance, parks and recreation, and fire committees.

Former parks and recreation chair Tom Anderson will now chair finance, which was headed up by Gail Cole. The finance committee is completed by Cole and new member Clint McWhirter. Cole also joins the development and works committee with chair Audrey Green and Jim Miller.

The parks and recreation committee’s new chair becomes Miller, who is joined by Reeve Green and Andrew Evans.

“There are things in the master plan that need to get done,” said Ringrose.

The mayor also noted that without plans to pursue a new aquatic centre, the town still needs to decide what to do with the resources it has to provide aquatic and other recreational services.

“It will be exciting,” said new recreation chair Miller.

“I think we’ll be able to get things done and make things more interesting for tourists and residents. I have some ideas for small projects.”

The other new chair is Evans, who leaves the finance committee and now heads up the fire committee.

Committee membership for 2013 council members is:

• administration: chair Cole, Green;

• finance (which also deals with animal control and parking enforcement): new chair Anderson, Cole, McWhirter;

• labour relations-human resources: Ringrose, Anderson, McWhirter;

• development and works: chair Green, Cole, Miller;

• planning advisory: chair Miller, Evans;

• adjustment-property standards: chair Cole, Evans;

• parks and recreation: new chair Miller, Green, Evans;

• fire: new chair Evans, Green;

• economic development: chair Ringrose, Anderson, McWhirter;

• Renfrew Police Services Board: Anderson, McWhirter;

• tourism: chair Cole, Miller; 

• library board: McWhirter, Miller;

• county council: Green;

• voting shareholders of Renfrew Hydro Inc. and Renfrew Hydro Generation Incorporated: all council;

• Renfrew and Area Health Services Village: Ringrose.

Several committees also include town staff and members of the public.