Ergonomist to fit out chairs for Paradise staff

By Mark Squibb

Paradise council last month approved the purchase of new office chairs to replace chairs that were damaged in last February’s Town Hall fire.

Councillor Larry Vaters explained the Town Hall’s ergonomic office chairs were written off due to excessive smoke damage.

A request for quotes was issued and evaluated and staff determined that Chandler best fit the bill.

Staff then recommended council buy 20 T-Centric Ergocentric chairs from Chandler at a cost of $16,197, plus HST, for a total cost of $18,627.

The chairs are able to be customized to fit a wider range of employee bodies.

Vaters noted the Town will include the cost in it’s claim to the insurance company for consideration.

Councillor Glen Carew allowed that while it seemed like a lot of money to spend on office chairs, the contract includes a visit by an ergonomist who will fit the chairs to staff specifications.

“They’re modular chairs, so they can be reconfigured as required when staff move in and out,” said Carew. “So, I’m happy to support this motion.”

Surplus funds moved to community centre construction

By Mark Squibb

A surplus of multi-year capital works funding earmarked for various projects across the city will be put towards ongoing construction of the new community centre.

During the September public meeting, Deputy Mayor Nicole Kieley explained that staff were requesting that $232,190, HST included, of unused 2017–2020 monies be redirected to the construction of the new community centre, which itself is in receipt of 2023–2026 provincial funding.

The community centre is valued at about $15.5 million and is expected to open to the public by early 2026.

Council also voted to extend completion timelines for a number of capital works projects from June 24, 2025 to December 31, 2025, to obtain an updated agreement with the Province. The projects include Farrell Drive pumphouse upgrades, replacement of Wyatt Boulevard, and full replacement of Farrell Drive from Topsail Road to Evans Place.

Seal Cove bridge tenders come in higher than expected

By Craig Westcott

The tender has been awarded for the replacement of Seal Cove bridge, a piece of infrastructure that at times has seemed to have a personality of its own with its claps and bangs and hums with passing traffic that council at various times had to rectify.

The contract, worth some $3.03 million, HST included, was awarded to Brook Construction of Corner Brook at the September 16 public meeting of CBS council.

"The current bridge was actually intended to be a temporary Bailey bridge when it was replaced under an emergency (order) when it was damaged by ice back in the 19090s," said Ward 4 councillor Melissa Hardy. "We've had several repairs and assessments done since then. Now we're at a state where we're able to replace it. Work was to begin this (past) summer but as we know the fires took precedence and we have to deal with that and we had to postpone some of the heavy, heavy work that would have been beginning, for the safety of the residents."

Hardy pointed out there is limited access to some of the roads in Seal Cove and if the main one had been cut off for bridge construction during a period when evacuations and alerts were in place, it could have been detrimental.

"So, it was the right thing we did, as a Town," Hardy added. "I know some residents may have been unhappy, but we did have a lot of residents reach out and say it was the right thing to do."

Councillor-at-Large Joshua Barrett said he was excited to see the contract finally awarded. "This has been decades in the making," he said of the bridge replacement. "I'm sure everybody up in that area will be very pleased with this."

Mayor Darrin Bent said he too is really pleased to see the contract finally let.

"And to the resident who asked me three months ago if it was actually going to happen this year, and I said yes it would, and they said, 'I'll believe it when I see it,' well I'm sorry," Bent said," laughing. "I've got to apologize. It's not going to happen this year, but it is going to happen next year because we're awarding the tender and the people who got the tender want to get at it."

Brook Construction was the lowest bidder among four companies vying for the bridge contract. Complete Concrete Solutions of Mount Pearl bid $3.7 million, Coady Construction & Excavating of Torbay bid $3.28 million, and Trident Construction of Mount Pearl bid $3.14 million. All those prices included HST.

Meanwhile, even at $3.03 million, the contract is some $300,000 more than the consultants who designed the specifications for the job, Harbourside Consultants, had estimated. There is a further $99,000 in consultant charges to be added to the total cost. The Town had been approved for some $2.6 million in multi-year capital works funding from the Province to cover the bridge replacement and will make up the difference by using savings from other projects.

Holyrood man hoping to get right eyes on LNG proposal

A Holyrood man with decades of experience in the oil industry is floating the idea of a liquified natural gas plant in his hometown in the hope of rescuing trillions of cubic feet of natural gas that is stranded offshore.

Darrin Sheppard sent his concept to the Public Utilities Board, which in turn ran it by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, which turned it down. But that hasn't dampened his enthusiasm. Sheppard said he really likes the eastern Canadian energy corridor proposal that has been touted to the federal government and welcomes the review of the upper Churchill Memorandum of Understanding.

Sheppard is hoping the oil companies will latch onto his idea of running pipelines from their offshore platforms to an LNG plant in Holyrood harbour for conversion into electricity and then on to NL Hydro's converter station at Soldier's Pond for transmission across the island and from there on to Nova Scotia through an upgraded version of the Maritime Link. Sheppard's plan also envisions the platforms converting some of the natural gas they are sitting on into electricity at the platforms themselves and feeding that into the provincial grid via underwater cables. The third component of his proposal is to convert the Holyrood thermal generating plant from Bunker C oil, which it burns now, to liquified natural gas.

It's an ambitious scheme that Sheppard has been working on for some time.

"I'm not getting paid or anything for it," he said. "I'm 30 years working in shipbuilding, petrochemicals and offshore, and I'm so sick of no work in this place. I've had to leave my home multiple times and go to the 'States, and so on. And it's sickening to see all our resources constantly being given away or squandered... It just turns me off when I can see and know the value that our resources are right there on our doorstep and it's bull to tell me it can't be done here. We just don't have the leadership in the political realm to do it."

Sheppard said his proposal would solve two problems: provide a market for the trillions of cubic feet of natural gas lying offshore that the oil companies are using to pressurize their oil wells and provide a cleaner future for the Holyrood generating plant.

"Look at the jobs that are going to be lost by closing it," Sheppard said of the generating station, which serves as a backup power supply for the Avalon Peninsula in case the lines from Muskrat Falls or Bay d' Espoir go down.

"I'm from Holyrood, I grew up here, so I hear all the rumours (about the future of the plant)," Sheppard said. “It really bothered me. I knew the gas could be brought ashore, but what's after changing now, is the proposed Atlantic Loop."

The Atlantic Loop is a proposed upgrading of transmission lines between Quebec and the Maritimes. Sheppard said Newfoundland and Labrador could feed into that by tapping its offshore gas and sending more electricity to Nova Scotia.

However, the Maritime Link which was built by Nova Scotia utility Emera in exchange for a combination of free electricity and cheap electricity from NL Hydro as part of the Muskrat Falls deal, wasn't built big enough to handle much more than its own imports.

"Okay, that's fine," said Sheppard. "The fact that we've got the corridor, means it's only a matter of putting more cables down. That's not a big deal. Cost-wise it is, but having the corridor from Muskrat makes a big difference... What I'm proposing is forget the Atlantic Loop, we want the Eastern Canadian Loop, which brings Ontario into the fold."

Sheppard said he would like to see the oil companies adopt his idea before the Province signs the proposed renewal agreement with Hydro Quebec for Churchill Falls power.

Sheppard said the oil companies would be the best people to take on the project. The Province and federal government could entice them to do so by offering incentives in the form of carbon tax credits. And while both levels of government appear to be "all in" on the idea of green hydrogen using Newfoundland's wind and water resources, said Sheppard, that technology is still not proven, and could be yet another boondoggle.

"Give the oil companies a tax credit for doing this work," said Sheppard. "I don't want NL Hydro or Nalcor designing this. It will be the same thing again as Muskrat Falls. I want the oil companies to do this, not some government agency."

Sheppard said he hasn't directly pitched his proposal to the oil companies but has given it to the provincial government in the hope it will back the idea.

"I'd love for someone to call me up from the oil companies and say, 'We love your idea, can you help develop it?'" said Sheppard. "Because this needs to go to the next phase now."

In the meantime, said Sheppard, he'd like to get the idea out there so people can at least consider it.

"Just think about it,” said Sheppard. “How much work would something like this create in the Avalon are? I'm sick of there being no work. I've got five more years of work. I'm 59, I want to retire and this my last hurrah, for Newfoundland, and for myself, and my business. And I want to get feedback. If it's positive feedback, fine, and if it's negative, I'll take that too... I'm dying for some feedback."

Sokoman announces $24 Million "Bought Deal" Private Placement

ST. JOHN'S Oct. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Sokoman Minerals Corp. (TSXV: SIC) (OTCQB: SICNF) says it has entered into an agreement with Canaccord Genuity Corp., as lead underwriter on behalf of a syndicate of Underwriters to be formed in connection with a "bought deal" private placement. The Company adds it has secured the commitment of Eric Sprott, an existing major shareholder, to participate in the offering.

Sokoman says the Offering will consist of 53,000,000 common shares of the company at a price of C$0.19 per Common Share for aggregate gross proceeds of C$10,070,000; and 53,000,000 common shares of the company that will qualify as "flow-through shares" at a price of C$0.265 per FT Share for aggregate gross proceeds of C$14,045,000.

The FT Shares are being distributed on a charity flow through basis.

The Underwriters will have the option to purchase up to an additional 7,950,000 common shares at the common share issue price additional gross proceeds of $1,510,500.

Sokoman says it expects to use the net proceeds from the sale of the common shares for property acquisitions as well as working capital and general corporate purposes.

The gross proceeds from the sale of the FT Shares will be used to incur Qualifying Expenditures as defined in the Tax Act that will qualify as "flow-through mining expenditures." Sokoman says the Qualifying Expenditures will be incurred on or before December 31, 2026 and will be renounced by the company to the initial purchasers of the FT Shares with an effective date no later than December 31, 2025.

Sokoman says that In the event it is unable to renounce Qualifying Expenditures in an aggregate amount equal to the gross proceeds raised from the issuance of the FT Shares, with an effective date of no later than December 31, 2025, or if the Qualifying Expenditures are otherwise reduced by the Canada Revenue Agency, it will, to the extent permitted by the Tax Act, indemnify each subscriber for the additional taxes payable.

Sokoman says insiders of the company may participate in the offering and any participation by Eric Sprott or other insiders will be considered a "related-party transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101, but is expected to be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements on the basis that the fair market value of the consideration does not exceed 25 per cent of the company's market capitalization. The Offering is expected to close on or about October 29, 2025, and is subject to certain conditions including the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals including the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange.

The Common Shares and FT Shares have not been registered and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements.

Sokoman Minerals Corp., is an explorer along the Valentine Lake Fault zone in Newfoundland, Canada's newest gold district. The Company's primary focus is its 100 per cent owned Treasure Island Gold Project, along with a portfolio of gold projects, including the Fleur de Lys Project.

Holyrood slashes permit fees

By Mark Squibb

Holyrood council has approved a balanced budget of $4,746,905 that will see no tax increases for residents or businesses.

The residential and commercial mil rate will be held steady at 7 and 12 mils respectively.

Council also reduced – or, in some cases, eliminated entirely – a number of rates and fees. New construction permits, general residential repairs, and commercial extensions have all been cut by 50 precent, while fees associated with hookups to town services (both water and sewer) for both existing houses and new builds have also been reduced. Improvement fees associated with new housing and business builds, and fees associated with water shut off requests due to leaks and other emergencies have been eliminated altogether.

“These measures are being taken to support our residents and to encourage others to come to Holyrood and make it their place of choice to live, work and play in a supportive community,” said councillor Laura Crawley, who presented the budget. “The reduction in commercial fees will encourage companies to become members of the Holyrood business community and become good corporate citizens.”

The Town will continue to offer residents an interest free payment plan for tax payments, while seniors receiving the GIS will receive a 20 percent discount on property tax for their primary residence. The Town will also provide families who have a combined income of $30,000 or less with a 20 percent discount

Crawley said the Town continued to adhere to the Curran Report when drafting the budget. That report, an operational review drafted by consultant Pat Curran in 2023, found the Town top heavy with management and made 20 recommendations for improvement, including a restructuring of staff, an adoption of a revised pay scale, and the cutting of at least one management position.

Through cost-shared funding, council will undertake a complete overhaul of its aging sewage treatment plant, valued at about $2.2 million worth of work, for which the Town will be on the hook for only 10 percent.

In 2025, the Town will also host public consultation sessions in regard to the proposed new community centre. Council earlier this year accepted $908,060 in 2023-2026 multi-year capital works funding for construction of the facility. Councillor Sadie King, who led the campaign for a community centre, said that budget item was like seeing a long-held Christmas wish come true.

On the recreation front, council has budgeted for further improvements to the boardwalk.

The Town will also continue to attempt to secure radon kits for residents.

The lion’s share of Holyrood’s revenue, some $4,187,230, will come from taxes. The Town is also bringing forward a surplus of $69,000 from 2023.

“Our activities of 2024 have enabled our council to build a solid foundation for 2025,” said Crawley. “We are ready to begin the new year with renewed energy and enthusiasm.”

Mayor Gary Goobie said he was very pleased with the budget.

“I think that we took a balanced approach in recognising and addressing the priorities of our residents,” said the mayor.

Goobie also noted the debt servicing ratio had dropped from 13 percent in 2024 to 11 percent.

“That’s a very healthy and comfortable position to be in, and it’s on par with most municipalities cross the province,” he said.

Council approved both the budget and tax rates unanimously.

“I fully support the budget,” said Deputy Mayor Michelle Woodford. “We were able to maintain the mil rate, we were able to eliminate or reduce rates and fees, while still maintaining the quality and efficiency of the services within the town.”

Councillor Bruce King called the budget well planned, flexible, and realistic, and added that he hopes the fee cuts will attract residents and commercial operations to Holyrood.

Councillor Mabel Tilley said she had a positive experience with what was her first municipal budget, and that council and staff worked together as a team to bring forward the best budget for residents.

Councillor Steve Winsor echoed the sentiments of many of his fellow councillors, and noted that this year’s budget process went smoothly, which he attributed in part to recommendations from the Curran Report implemented by the Town, such as requiring directors to draft a business plan for their respective departments. Winsor also applauded the elimination and reduction of certain fees, citing the national housing crisis.

Coombs pleased with Harbour Grace’s financial turnaround

By Olivia Bradbury, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Longtime Harbour Grace Mayor Don Coombs has seen a lot of ups and downs in his town’s prospects over the years – over this latest term of council even his critics would probably have to admit things have been more on the upside.

In an end of year interview, the genial “Don” of municipal politics said the 2024 accomplishment he is most proud of is that this council kept the Town’s financials in good shape.

“The council of 2021 did a great job realizing the deficit we had, and we put a 10-year plan in,” he said. “And we’re following the 10-year plan so our financials are good. We are eliminating things off the 10-year strategic plan which is good.”

This past year saw continued infrastructure and housing development, Coombs noted, and businesses in Harbour Grace are doing well. Moreover, the old Terra Nova Shoes building was sold, and Coombs said the new owners will develop jobs for the town and the region.

Coombs said he is grateful to everyone in Harbour Grace for the overall success the town has seen, commending council, staff, committees, and residents. “Everybody is working together in a positive manner, and you can see it,” he said.

On the horizon, Coombs said some new facilities are expected to open in 2025. Work on the Church of the Immaculate in Harbour Grace is nearing a close after more than half a decade. The cathedral is being renovated into a distillery, which will also have a thousand-seat convention centre. Coombs is optimistic that it will open this coming summer. In addition, a new hotel is expected to open next year, which Coombs said will be a major investment in the region.

Coombs has been mayor of Harbour Grace, off and on, for a total of 27 years, and a council member for 32. He said he has worked with many good councillors over the years, but the current council, as a group, is the strongest one he has worked with. As an example, Coombs said he thought the Town’s deficit would take 10 to 15 years to turn around, but this council has begun to produce results in only four years.

When asked whether he plans to run for mayor again in the next municipal election, he admitted he was not yet sure. He is going to take some time to make his decision.

When asked whether he would consider running in provincial politics, Coombs admitted he has been asked to do so in the past but has no such aspirations.

“I love what I’m doing right now and I know you never say never, but my priority was my family for years when I was getting encouraged in a big way to run. I probably would have won the seat, but family comes first.”

As for federal politics, Coombs said he would never aspire to run at that level because of how much time it would require him to be away from his home and family.

Fourth time is the charm say CBS budget makers

By Craig Westcott

It’s the last budget of their term, and the consensus of all members of CBS council is it’s a good one to go out on.

One by one, each councillor praised the spending blueprint as they signed off on their last public council meeting of the year on December 17.

“This is our fourth budget, the last one of our term,” said Deputy Mayor Andrea Gosse, who as chairperson of finance was the lead member in crafting the $44.3 million operating plan with Director of Finance Liz Davis and staff. “When I look back from the first budget to this one, this one was a happier budget, it was more stable, we have more opportunity to do things. In 2022, it was new, we were in the midst of a pandemic. In the 2023 budget we found ourselves having to do small increases in mil rates... what we needed to meet the demands that we were faced with. And it was the same then in 2024, we found ourselves in the same position. And that’s really a tough decision to make. Thankfully this budget, with increased revenue, the growth that we’ve had, we didn’t have to do that, and it feels really good that we didn’t have to increase any rates and fees. I guess it’s a sign, as we see expenses and things levelling off, of more stable times, which provides optimism and opportunities, and that’s what we see for 2025.”

For Ward 3 councillor Gerard Tilley, this was his 16th budget, and he was happy the Town was able to hold the line on taxes.

“With some of the things we are proposing for 2025, it is a very well-rounded budget, and I think residents will be happy,” he said.

Tilley was pleased that money has been earmarked to further prepare the Gateway atop Legion Road for more commercial development.

Councillor Rex Hillier said there are many good things in this budget, and focused on several in particular, including support for affordable housing.

“There are no permit fees for housing (built) under federal and provincial programs,” he pointed out, “and 50 per cent (off) building permit fees for multi-unit buildings. We know that we’ve got multi-unit buildings in the hopper right now ready to go. We’re looking at, as the budget said, some 50 units of affordable housing over the coming months.”

Hillier also praised the new partnership with the Manuels River Centre, which the Town is acquiring.

“It’s near and dear to my heart,” Hillier said of the river. “I go back to the origins of the Manuels River Natural Heritage Society and it’s great to see that this group is continuing on, and the Town is taking it upon itself to renew that partnership.”

Hillier noted 2025 will see the most ever collected in business tax, not because rates have gone up, but because the business base has grown. “That’s a big deal for us,” he said. “We’ve had something like 40 new businesses come into town this year, and that’s something that we’ve always pushed for, and we know traditionally it’s been a weakness in our budget, in our finances.”

Hillier also saluted the money to upgrade the Town’s aging infrastructure, including the chil-dren’s playground at Topsail Beach and the tennis courts in Long Pond, which were built for the 1996 Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games.

Councillor-at-large Christine Butler said this, her 8th budget, is the best yet.

“It’s a pleasure to be able to give such a positive budget to our residents, and a lot of that is due to the hard work of all the staff, the management, the (members of) CUPE 3034, everyone involved in doing the work for the Town, for our residents,” she said. “And of course it’s always good to be able to offer our residents the continuation of property tax reduction initiatives, because they all look for it, and I’m pleased that we’re able to continue that. And also to finish our T’Railway – I mean who doesn’t love our T’Railway?”

Councillor-at-Large Paul Connors said it’s always a challenge to maintain existing services while trying to add new things. “I think in this budget we’ve achieved that,” he said. “I’m really pleased that we now are taking over the Manuels River Interpretation Centre. It’s going to be a great addition to our town infrastructure. I think it was always part of our town infrastructure, but the Town wasn’t actually running it. Now the Town will take that over and it will create another great space for groups within our town.”

Connors expressed optimism too over the efforts to promote the Gateway. “We’re hearing some real positive things,” he said. “So hopefully in 2025 that will bring some really good news.

Connors also praised the funds earmarked to find a solution to the strong smell emanating from the Cronin’s Head Treatment Plant, as well as a coming review of the ATV pilot project.

“I will be advocating for adding additional routes so more people can access our trailways for the responsible ATV users,” he said.

Ward 1 councillor Shelley Moores, who is in her first term, liked that there are no tax or fee increases. “I think it’s a very important thing with the times we are living in right now,” she said.

Moores also liked the funding for recreational facilities. “I think we’re a step above everybody else,” Moores said. “Everyone will want to live here because of the community wellness centre that we want to get open, the fact that we have 18 kms of T’Railway, the upgrades we are doing to the Topsail Beach Rotary Park, how we’re helping out the rugby facility and baseball. I just feel that all these things really encourage a healthy lifestyle and the fact that we now will have Manuels River under our belts, the Interpretation Centre, and the opportunities that are there to have recreational and cultural things offered at that facility, is very positive for everyone.”

Ward 4 councillor Melissa Hardy, who chairs the engineering committee, highlighted the money set aside for capital works, including $5 million for street and sidewalk work, $2.4 million to replace Seal Cove bridge, and $3.8 million for water and sewer upgrades.

“It’s going to be an ambitious year for us,” Hardy said.

Councillor-at-Large Joshua Barrett said this budget is the result of initiatives council has been building towards for some time, such as the upgrades planned for Topsail Beach park.

“We’re in an excellent financial position,” he added. “For any future projects we’re well versed to do any borrowing that we might need.”

Barrett heralded the decision to spay and neuter animals at the Town pound before handing them over for adoption.

“Spay and neutering was something we removed (as a service) in 2017 and I’m very proud that we as a Town will be offering this service again next year,” he said. “So, if you adopt a cat or a dog in 2025, for a small additional cost we’ll ensure that that’s spayed and neutered.”

Mayor Darrin Bent summed up the budget reaction by agreeing with Gosse on the position council found itself in after getting elected in 2021.

“We were really the pandemic council,” Bent said. “We came in not in the full force of the Covid pandemic, we came in with the full force of the effects of the pandemic, financially. We came into record inflation times. It was hard to get equipment. We came into a time when the cost of everything was incredible, making some of it inaccessible to the Town. It delayed some of the things that we wanted to do. But we held strong, and we didn’t dig too far into the pockets of our residents. I know some of our neighbours did, they dug deeper than we did, but we kept it to a minimum and we held strong through the last couple of years. We kept our fiscal management at a good level, we were very prudent and here we are on the other side of it. And this is the first budget, post-pandemic. It’s not that the price of things have gone down, it’s just that they don’t seem to be going up as much, or maybe at all in some cases anymore and things are becoming more accessible to us, fleet replacement and so forth... It’s a great place to be, knowing that we’ve been able to deliver a budget that has far reaching effects for our residents.”

Bent said the record amount of business tax collected this past year due to business growth, some $3.3 million, points to good things to come. “That’s not going down, folks, that’s going up,” the mayor said. “It’s trending in the right direction... As the population grows, the business (base) will grow, and that commercial tax base will grow and councils into the future will be able to do a lot more than we’ve been able to do in the past. But this year, I think, is the start of it; 2025 is a great year to get things going.”

Bay Bulls to get new tourism signs

By Mark Squibb

The Town of Bay Bulls hopes to catch the eye of people passing on through with a pair of new signs along the main road.

One sign will be placed at the intersection of Southside Road and the Main Road and the other at the St. John’s Road and Main Road intersection, pending approval from the provincial government.

“We are trying to promote tourism and advertise this lovely centre that we have here, and our restaurants, rest areas, new park, tour operators, and the municipal building, all right here in our ‘downtown core,’” said Town Manager Ashley Wakeham. “It’s a great idea to direct traffic down here so people visit this lovely town rather than drive past it.”

Council approved a number of other action items during the meeting, including a motion to award catch basin cleaning to the lowest compliant bidder at a cost of $5,520, plus HST.

Deputy Mayor Jason O’Brien noted the Town received a number of bids and a variety of prices.

Mount Pearl CAO Dana Spurrell calling it a day

Outgoing Mount Pearl CAO Dana Spurrell during her four-year tenure at City Hall guided the City through a workplace harassment investigation, the pandemic, a union strike, and, more recently, the city-wide fear caused by random, violent attacks allegedly committedly by a group of Mount Pearl youths. Members of council praised her for her calm demeanor in the face of challenges. Mark Squibb photo

By Mark Squibb

Cool, calm and collected.

Those were some of the words used by Mount Pearl councillors to describe outgoing Mount Pearl Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Dana Spurrell, and given some of the municipal quandaries Spurrell has had to lead the City through during her four years tenure, they were good qualities to possess for someone in her position.

Spurrell was hired in January of 2021, seven months after former CAO Steve Kent quit his position after having been suspended due to allegations of workplace bullying. Kent quit the position before council had cast an official vote on whether to fire him outright. Shortly after, councillors Andrea Power and Andrew Ledwell were dismissed from council for allegedly communicating with Kent inappropriately during the imbroglio.

On top of all that, the province entered it’s second COVD-19 lockdown on February 12 — Spurrell’s first week in office.

In 2022 Spurrell had to lead the City through a workplace strike that lasted nearly two months and occasionally turned ugly, with accusations of wrongdoing flying from all sides. And in the final weeks before her departure, the City has been rocked by a number of random, violent acts allegedly committed by youths that have left members of the community on edge.

“Talk about a baptism by fire,” said councillor Jim Locke. “Your tenure at the City was bookended by challenges… you have faced challenges, no doubt, but you always handled it with calm and poise.”

Locke said that Spurrell’s calmness in the face of adversity was a superpower, and that the City staff blossomed under her leadership. He wished her all the best with her future endeavours.

Deputy Mayor Nicole Kiely, who was elected to council in September 2021, said Spurrell made her feel welcome at the municipal table.

“You have led by example, and I know, for one, that I am a better councillor because of your guidance and leadership,” said Kieley.

Mayor Dave Aker said Spurrell was the perfect person to lead the City the last four years.

“Your leadership was second to none,” said Aker, who added that anybody on staff would back up his claim.

After a round of accolades and well wishes from council, Spurrell herself took a few minutes to address council and staff.

“If nicer words are ever said about me, it’ll probably be when I’m dead, so thank you all,” quipped Spurrell. “Councillor Locke caused me to reflect a little bit. My first day, I had a cell phone, with no contacts, and I was home at my dining room table in the middle of a shut down. And maybe that was a sign, because if nothing else I’ve been steeped in crisis management.”

Spurrell said that as a work family, City staff and council have experienced weddings and funerals and births and deaths together over the last four years, and through it all have carried on the work of the City. She called it a privilege to lead the City these last four years, and expressed her thanks to staff and council both.

“I’m proud of the work we’ve done to position the City for growth and change,” said Spurrell.

She added that her massage therapist might disagree with council’s assessment of Spurrell as calm and collected.