West Nipissing’s council table is full once again.
Georges Pharand has been appointed to West Nipissing council to represent residents of Ward 8 – Lavigne and North Monetville. In late April, Jérôme Courchesne stepped down from his council chair after accepting a position at Au Chateau. Council declared the seat vacant, and invited people to apply for the role.
“I want to go door to door all the time,” Pharand told the people as he presented to council, “I want to talk with people, I think it’s the only way.”
See: West Nipissing council needs a Ward 8 representative
Three others applied for the seat, Daniel Corriveau, Christine Riberdy, and Dave Lewington. All had a chance to present to the council and answer questions before councillors voted for their choice. Vacant seats are chosen by appointment in West Nipissing. A vacancy appointment policy was adopted on June 6, 2023, to ensure seats are filled in a timely manner.
“I’d like to thank the four candidates who have put forward their names for consideration for this position,” said Mayor Kathleen Thorne Rochon. “It is a big job, often in the public eye, and I admire your willingness to serve the community in this way.”
Pharand has lived in West Nipissing for 20 years and has been visiting since the 1970s. Raised in Hanmer, he made his way to the United Kingdom where he owned and operated a successful business for 29 years.
He retired last year, “and just when I thought I would put my feet up,” he noticed the council vacancy, and surrendered to the call to serve, “to give back to my community and use some of my free time and business experience for the common good.”
See: No more two-year vacancies for West Nipissing council
Pharand touched upon some issues he wanted to address as a councillor. He emphasized the need to listen, believing “the most important part of policy-making is consultation, and if the public don’t feel they have been consulted, then you have problems.”
The recently passed short term rental by-law could have benefited from more consultation, he noted. He agrees with the need for the by-law, but a “divisive” law like that “should undergo further consultation.”
As a councillor, he plans to “push for a review of the by-law as we will undoubtedly learn a lot in the first year.” He would also like to increase the number of licenses, reduce the one-kilometre spacing limit and allow more time for applicants to comply with the regulations.
See: Despite petition, West Nipissing passes short term rental by-law
He also commended the work of the Sturgeon Falls Beautification Group but wondered if the town could do more, especially to curb illegal dumping. “We shouldn’t rely on volunteers to clean up after us, what we need is a collective shift in attitudes to ensure the community looks great.”
The future of the old mill site in Sturgeon Falls is also a priority for Pharand, because if developed properly, “future generations will thank us for it.” Homelessness within the region also concerns him, and he plans to urge council to push for another seat on the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board.
Closer to home in Ward 8, he wants to increase flood preparedness. Specifically, he wants the municipality to provide sandbags for the people. The town did leave a few loads of sand for the people, but without bags, “the only thing we could do with the sand is make sandcastles.”
Pharand also plans to push for more road paving in his ward, and he’s eager to delve into the upcoming trailer by-law, which he hopes doesn’t become as divisive within the community as the short-term rental by-law.
Lots of work lies ahead, but Pharand is ready to go. “It’s a challenge I just couldn’t pass up, and I look forward to working with other members of council, the staff at the municipality and everyone else in the community.”
“I will bring all the energy and passion that I can to make our Ward and Municipality a better place to live,” Pharand said.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
