Municipality of Brighton Mayor Brian Ostrander will take the reins of Northumberland County council for another year.
Ostrander was nominated by his council colleagues and again appointed to the role of Northumberland County warden during the regular monthly meeting of Northumberland County council on Wednesday (December 18).
Olena Hankivsky, mayor of the Municipality of Port Hope, was also chosen to continue serving in her role as deputy warden. Both positions commence December 18 and continue for a one-year term of county council.
Ostrander thanked his fellow county councillors for the nomination and support.
“It is my honour and my privilege to serve our community and I am humbled by the confidence that this council has placed in me,” Ostrander said during the meeting. “Thank you for granting me the opportunity to continue leading the team and building on our progress.”
During the council meeting, county staff shared a video highlighting the many successes achieved in 2024.
“As we enter the third year of this term, I am energized by the ambitious plans before us,” Ostrander said. “We will conclude several transformative projects, including the much-needed rural broadband expansion, modernizing critical infrastructure, opening the doors of our new (Golden Plough Lodge long-term care home and Northumberland County Archives and Museum in Cobourg), and enhancing our housing and shelter system.”
VIDEO: 2024 Year In Review – Northumberland County
“These initiatives are vital to support and sustain our growing community,” Ostrander said.
County council will also face numerous challenges as well in the coming year, both as a council and as a community, he noted.
“Rising costs and financial pressures on our residents require us to prioritize efficiency and innovation in everything we do. Through our strategic planning process and ongoing community engagement, we’ve heard the clear call to enhance government efficiency and reduce the burden on our residents.”
Both Ostrander and Hankivsky took the oath of office during the meeting following their elections.
Hankivsky was nominated by county councillors Lucas Cleveland, mayor of the Town of Cobourg, and Bob Crate, mayor of the Municipality of Trent Hills.
“It has been an honour to sit next to the deputy warden over the past year, and I find her to be a very level-headed and thoughtful person (who) thinks of all the situations and tries to evaluate them,” Crate said. “It is indeed my pleasure to nominate (Hankivsky).”
For her part, Hankivsky thanked her fellow councillors for their support as she heads into her second term in that role.
