New city council balances experience with change

One too many Campbells came close to spoiling the soup, a re-elected city councillor said following Monday night’s election.

Sarah Campbell. shown left, secured the last of 10 council positions, but she was concerned a namesake of hers, Art Campbell, was still on the ballot and had collected almost 1,500 votes even though he had withdrawn from the race.

“I was looking at the votes and questioning having Art Campbell’s name on the ballot, who wasn’t even running,” Campbell said.

“That’s 1,500 votes there for someone who really wasn’t even a candidate, so I’m really wondering if his position on the ballot might have been confusing to people and hurt some of the votes that would have otherwise been going toward me. He’s not a candidate, just a name on the ballot.”

Grateful to the voters
Campbell did manage to nip in ahead of the eleventh-place finisher Tom “Timber” Graham, and she acknowledged she would have been far more upset if the Art Campbell votes had caused her not being re-elected.

Still, she said she’s grateful to the voters for putting her back into office.

The new North Bay council is a blend of five veteran councillors and five new additions.

“I think you need some experience, and that was one of the things I was concerned about,” said George Maroosis, who finished ninth behind newcomer Darryl Vaillancourt.

“I thought we needed to have balance. In fact that’s one of the things I said, to balance change with experience, so I’m glad to see all the incumbents back.”

Ready for change
One of those incumbents, Mike Anthony, who finished sixth, said he was “humbled, honoured and almost speechless.”
“I figured people were ready for change, and I had to run my entire campaign around the fact that last time I was part of the new change and I’m still ready for more of it,” Anthony said.

“And I think with the mayor we’ve got in place we’ll see it.”

Another new face at the council belongs to North Bay funeral director and seventh-place finisher Mac Bain.

“I so thankful to the public for electing me because North Bay is going to be the centre of Northern Ontario very soon,” Bain said.

“We’ve got an aggressive campaign, an aggressive council by the looks of who’s been elected, and we’re all going to work for the betterment of North Bay, and North Bay is going to do well.”

Energy on council
North Bay council will have more of a Mediterranean flavour than ever before with an Italian mayor, Vic Fedeli, a Greek councillor, Maroosis, and two other Italians, Coun. Dave Mendicino and Deputy Mayor Peter Chirico.

“This is one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life,” second-place finisher Mendicino said.

“I had some great support, some great friends helping me out, I’m excited. There’s going to be a lot of energy on council. I’m excited to be working with a guy like Vic Fedeli, and let’s get going.”


Chirico said the first order of business is starting the budget process for next year, “which we will be doing very very shortly.”

He thanked voters for their confidence in him, but saved he greatest appreciation for his wife and family, “for putting up with me for the last three years, especially through this election campaign. They did a wonderful job.”

Get cohesive
Tom Mason, who hails from Scotland and came in third, said he was humbled “elated, ecstatic and very, very excited.”
“I’m very grateful to everyone in North Bay for giving me a chance. I’m very proud of all the people who worked on my campaign, and I’m just dying to get to work and do great things for the city,” Mason said.

Maureen Boldt, another incumbent, said there’s a lot of work for the new council to do.
“It’s going to be a good council and I think we’ve got lots of good stuff we can get done,” Boldt, the fifth-place finisher, said.

Vaillancourt, number eight in the voting, says for that to happen, council has got to resolve to work together.
“At some point we’re going to sit down, get cohesive and move forward, because Vic has a great plan.”

The fourth spot was won by another rookie, Judy Koziol.
"I'm in absolute shock, I didn't think I would do that well," Koziol said, adding an endorsement from outgoing city councillor Susan Church helped her significantly.

Koziol believes difficulties that plagued the previously council won't be a problem this time around.
"I think the incumbents are more willing to work with the new group."

Council candidate Don Size did not make it nor finish in the top 15.

“But I respect what the voters did, and hopefully with the council Vic has to work with everything will happen for the city like he promised, and he’ll move this city forward.”