West Nipissing has sworn in its seventh council since the municipality was first created through amalgamation in 1999.
After the members of council were sworn in, Mayor Joanne Savage gave a 12-minute opening address that touched on the responsibilities of council and to work together.
Savage acknowledged that the new council has changed considerably from the previous council; five of the eight councillors are new.
The Mayor noted it’s a new chapter in the life of town council which has veterans and new councillors and everyone is in it together.
She said the public expects teamwork, transparency, fairness, affordability and progress.
Savage said council will have many priorities and challenges and adds success is achieved by working together and with partners.
She said the goal of council is to make a difference and achieve prosperity.
The returning Mayor also said the public will be more engaged with this council and its offshoots.
To that end, Savage announced that beginning in January all committee and board meetings held in the municipal building will be live streamed.
This would include meetings like the monthly police board meetings as well as the planning and environmental sessions.
Savage said many priorities were identified over the election campaign including the safety and well-being of the community.
Other priorities include drug addiction, infrastructure and services for seniors, family housing, culture and leisure and the environment.
The Mayor also devoted some time to the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo that West Nipissing hosts next September.
She says it’s going to be one of the greatest socio-economic events that the area has ever seen.
It’s expected that West Nipissing will see be about 80,000 people during the five days that the IPM is held in Verner.