KAGAWONG—Billings Township council officially swore in Nora Bath-Haring as the new member of council this past Tuesday evening.
Ms. Bath-Haring has been a regular attendee of council meetings for several years. “That’s one of the reasons I decided to run for council,” she told the Recorder. “I started going to council meetings on a regular basis and this caught my attention as to running for council. When you are sitting in the (council meeting) gallery you can’t really say anything, but now that I’m a member of council I will be able to provide input on things.”
“As I am coming half way through the present councils term of office I have to see the direction council is taking, and provide another set of eyes to help out and provide input,” said Councillor Bath-Haring. “I’m sure they’ve (council) planned and set a proposed direction they are going to take in the future.” She pointed out, “I’ve always been in favour of improvements to the waterfront, if this is something council is working on during the rest of the term of this council I would be in favour of this and would like to help out.”
Councilor Bath-Haring does not have previous experience on council, although she noted her late mother in law Magda Haring had served on Billings council previously. Along with interest in council and the community as a whole she plays the organ at churches, and at the Manitoulin Lodge Nursing Home in Gore Bay with Doug Alkenbrack, and is a volunteer driver of the Angel Bus.
“Yes, I’m definitely looking forward to being on council, but in a lot of ways nothing will change,” continued Councillor Bath-Haring. “I haven’t missed very many council meetings over the past six years. I’m not going in there with the idea to revolutionize things, but to help and provide input on the direction and decisions being made by council.”
“I have a certain amount of common sense, and hope to help out by making wise decisions on behalf of council and the township,” said Councillor Bath-Haring.
Councillor Bath-Haring is filling the vacant councillor position, left vacant with the resignation last fall of former councillor Tom Imrie.