GORDON/BARRIE ISLAND – A new member of Gordon/Barrie Island council has now officially been sworn.
“We are pretty excited to get someone on council from the Barrie Island area,” stated Lee Hayden, reeve of Gordon/Barrie Island council late last week. He explained that Cameron Runnalls, who was born and grew up on Barrie Island, was appointed to council at a regular council meeting in December. Mr. Runnalls was sworn in as a new member of council at a regular council meeting earlier this week. Several residents of Gordon/Barrie Island had expressed their interest and put their names forward to be a member of council, as the township had requested. The council position had to be filled after former councillor (and one time reeve of the township) Jack Brady had resigned late this past fall.
“Yes, it’s definitely an interest of mine to be on council; I am very interested in the municipality and understanding how it runs. I have lived my whole life here, and now I can put my work into serving the community by being on council.”
Mr. Runnalls said that he previously had conversations with Reeve Hayden about his interest in putting his name forward for council. “He thought it was a good idea and I did as well.”
Cameron’s father was a former reeve and councillor with Barrie Island Township council prior to its amalgamation with Gordon Township.
Currently Mr. Runnalls, who is 25, and his wife are living in Gordon, but “we would like to move back to Barrie Island in the near future.”
He works with his father and grandfather on the Runnalls farm in Barrie Island.
“We had been hoping to get someone from Barrie Island specifically to serve on council, so it was nice to see the interest,” said Reeve Hayden. “I think Cameron is going to be good on council; he is a young man with an obvious interest in the municipality. We are quite happy to see his interest and have him on council.”
