An era ends

As many will have likely seen in this newspaper, nominations for the municipal elections opened on Monday, May 2nd and already there are a number of candidates registering their names to be on the ballot. However, one name which will not be on the ballot is the current Scugog Mayor and longtime member of Scugog council Bobbie Drew.

Earlier this year, Mayor Drew announced she would be retiring from municipal politics after this term of council. Speaking as someone who has covered council for a number of years now, it’s going to feel a bit odd to not see Ms. Drew at the council table.

Bobbie Drew has a long history of serving this Township. She served as a trustee on the Durham District School Board, then as a Ward 2 Councillor, a Regional Councillor and now currently is the Mayor of the Township.

Politics at any level, even the local level, is not an easy job. Council members must stay apprised of, and educated about, a wide variety of issues and matters. Sometimes they must tackle issues with very little financial help from the upper tiers of government. Every decision they make is open to criticism from residents and business owners, and they have to constantly balance constituents’ wishes with affordability for the municipality and taxpayers.

Now, to be clear, by writing this column I am neither endorsing all the decisions Scugog council has made nor criticizing them. You don’t have to like all or any of the decisions a council member or political candidate has made during their career. I am only writing about Ms. Drew’s personal political achievements.

As she heads into the next chapter of her life, I think Ms. Drew’s legacy should include being a dedicated community advocate, and her service to the community should be respected.

While I can’t speak to constituent’s experiences, I can say, Ms. Drew has always been respectful and kind in her conversations with me over the years. The fact Ms. Drew has put her name forward for municipal council as many times as she has, despite the challenges of the job, shows her love for this community.

#capedcearnsader #column #DanCearns #mayorBobbieDrew