Vandewal Tears Up Over Warden Nod, then Rejects County Budget

Jeff Green | Jan 11, 2017

As he took the oath as Frontenac County Warden on December 21, South Frontenac Mayor Ron Vandewal was wearing the watch that was presented to his father after he served as Frontenac County Warden in the 1980’s. At that time there were over 20 members of council and warden elections were contested. In the current era, the warden position is passed around between the mayors of the four townships, and the vote that takes place each year is a mere formality. North Frontenac Mayor Ron Higgins, who will serve as deputy warden in 2017, will take over as warden for the final year of the current mandate in 2018.

Although there was little drama in his election as warden, Vandewal did tear up just a bit as he touched the watch and mentioned that by taking on the warden’s mantle it made his father and him the first father and son to be warden in the 151 year history of the county.

The sentimental moment passed quickly however, as the passage of the 2017 budget was tackled at the beginning of the meeting after being moved up in order to permit Vandewal and his fellow South Frontenac Councilor John McDougall to leave for the wake of long serving South Frontenac Councilor Bill Robinson.
Vandewal voted against the budget, as he had done the previous evening in his own township, and for the same reason.

“We asked staff to bring us a budget with an increase that was no higher than the cost of living increase, plus 0.65% to put towards long term infrastructure. Cost of living is 1.5% so the target was 2.15%, and the budget we have in front of us is 3.15% higher than last year, so I will vote against it,” he said.

Frontenac Islands Mayor Dennis Doyle also voted against the 2017 budget, but did not specify a reason.

Before the budget was put to a vote, Doyle had asked that a $1,000 membership in the Canadian School Alliance be put back in the budget. The membership fee had been removed at a Committee of the Whole meeting about the budget that took place in late November. Doyle was away at the time of that meeting.

The Canadian School Alliance is an organisation devoted to saving rural schools from closure. I’d like to see us remain as members of this organisation, it is only $1,000 out of a levy of over $9 million,” he said, to no avail.

The remaining members of council voted to approve the budget.