In an twist of irony, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEEPO) has bought the historic Leslie M. Frost Natural Resource Centre in Haliburton County for $3.2 million.

The Ontario government — which had used the centre in the past to train government staff, including many OPSEU members, before closing it in 2004 — put the property up for sale in October with an asking price of $1.1 million.

“The property is an absolute gem,” states OPSEU president Smokey Thomas in an announcement on Friday (January 8) from the union, which represents 170,000 public sector workers.

“From training forest rangers in the 1920s to training our members and leaders in the 2020s, this property will serve OPSEU/SEEPO’s hardworking members so that they can continue to support our province, its people, and its economy.”

OPSEU states the $3.2 million purchase price was approved earlier this week by the OPSEU’s executive board. It is unknown whether there were competing offers on the property that resulted in the purchase price being $2.1 million over asking.

According to OPSEU first vice-president and treasurer Eddy Almeida, preserving the integrity of the site is of “utmost importance” to the union.

“We’ve got a huge opportunity but also a real duty here,” he says. “A duty to preserve the property’s integrity, respect the environment, and be good to neighbours working closely with the rural community in Haliburton County.”

“We look forward to joining with our community partners to reinvigorate the Frost Centre,” Almeida adds. “We know the centre’s impressive history and its true value, and we’re committed to breathing new life and purpose into this property, to serve our members and the broader community at large.”

The 40.63-acre property, which was sold “as is”, has 1,480 feet frontage along Highway 35 and 2,800 feet of shore line on St. Nora Lake. It includes 21 buildings that can accommodate more than 200 people in a mix of dorm-style rooms and cottages, a full kitchen, dining, hall, and recreation centre.

The buildings are in poor condition as they haven’t been maintained for the past 10 years. There are multiple easements on the property, including for access to a public dock and boat launch.

Commonly called the Frost Centre, it first opened in 1921 as a training facility for provincial forest rangers. In 1944, the Ontario government and the University of Toronto Faculty of Forestry entered into a partnership to create the Ontario Forest Technical Training School on the site.

In 1974, then-Premier Bill Davis announced the site would be developed as an environmental and resource management education centre and would be called The Leslie M. Frost Natural Resources Centre, after the province’s 16th premier. It was used as a training centre for government staff, as well as by school groups, wildlife organizations, eco-tourism groups, and more.

In 2004, the Liberal government of the time announced it was closing the centre to save around $1.2 million in annual operating costs, including laying off OPSEU members who were working at the centre, prompting public outrage. More than 26,000 people had visited the centre in its last year of operation.

The centre closed on July 13, 2004. In response to the controversy around closing the centre, the government announced it would lease the property for “environmental and outdoor education activities” rather than sell it.

Led by area cottager and former IBM executive Al Aubry, the not-for-profit Frost Centre Institute was established on the property in 2007, where it offered an educational summer camp, a conference centre, and environmental programming.

The Frost Centre Institute closed in 2010, after operating a deficit for three years, largely due to high expenses during the winter months when the centre was hardly used.

The Ontario government then put the property up for sale, but was unsuccessful in selling it. The government has been paying for basic maintenance of the property ever since.

Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.

As Ontario reports a new record high of 3,519 cases and 89 deaths, the provincial government has announced online learning for all elementary students in southern Ontario will be extended until Monday, January 25th — the same date when secondary school students are scheduled to return to class.

Elementary sudents were originally scheduled to return to schools for in-person learning on Monday, January 11th.

At a media conference earlier today, Premier Doug Ford said the positivity rate among children has spiked since schools closed before the holidays. In late November and early December, the positivity rate for kids aged 12 to 13 years old was 5.4 per cent; in early January, it has climbed to nearly 20 per cent.

“One in every five children under the age of 13, they’re testing positive,” Ford said. “That’s not mentioning all the other kids that haven’t been tested, that might have a runny nose or cough. I will never, ever put our kids in jeopardy.”

The government attributes the increase in cases to children being infected while at home over the holidays, when some families ignored public health advice and got together with others not in their households. Targeted testing done among students and staff in December has confirmed that schools are not a significant source of transmission. To support families during this extended school closure, child care centres, and home-based child care services will remain open.

With cases rising in northern communities, the government is also extending the shutdown in northern Ontario for another 14 days, until at least January 23, aligning with the shutdown period in southern Ontario. However, elementary students in northern Ontario will return to in-person learning on Monday, January 11th.

With today’s record-high increase in new cases, the seven-day average of daily cases across the province has increased by 76 to 3,141. Of Ontario’s 34 public health units, 10 are reporting new cases in the triple digits.

The province is also reporting 89 deaths — the highest single-day number of COVID-related deaths since the pandemic began — including 43 deaths in long-term care homes and the second death in Kawartha Lakes in just two days.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 31 new cases to report and 29 additional cases resolved, with the number of active cases across the region decreasing by 8 from yesterday to 189.

Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (891), Peel (568), York (457), Windsor-Essex (208), Waterloo (175), Durham (174), Ottawa (164), Hamilton (146), Middlesex-London (115), and Niagara (112).

There are double-digit increases in Halton (95), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (90), Simcoe Muskoka (78), Eastern Ontario (36), Brant (27), Southwestern (22), Chatham-Kent (19), Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (17), Grey Bruce (16), Northwestern (15), Algoma (12), Peterborough (12), Huron Perth (12), Haldimand-Norfolk (11), North Bay Parry Sound (10), and Leeds, Grenville & Lanark (10), with smaller increases in Sudbury (9) and Thunder Bay (7).

The remaining 6 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with only 1 health unit (Renfrew) reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s new cases, 50.4% are among people older than 40, with the highest number of cases (1,289) among people ages 20-39, followed by 1,051 cases among people ages 40-59, 514 cases among people ages 60-79, and 448 cases among people ages 19 and under. With 2,776 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has decreased by 0.1% to 84.6%. The average positivity rate across Ontario has decreased since yesterday by 2.4% to 6.1%, meaning that 61 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on January 6.

Ontario is reporting a record-high 89 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 43 deaths in long-term care facilities. Hospitalizations have increased by 9 to 1,472. With 2 more patients with COVID-19 in ICUs reported today, there are now 363 COVID-19 ICU patients in Ontario. With 4 fewer COVID-19 patients on ventilators reported today, there are now 242 COVID-19 patients on ventilators.

A total of 65,772 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation increasing by 10,288 to 65,772. A total of 72,631 doses of vaccine have been administered, with 12,251 daily doses administered and 2,173 total vaccinations completed (i.e., both doses).

Due to the winter break and the remote learning period during the provincial shutdown, there will be no data to report for Ontario schools until January 25. There are 43 new cases in licensed child care settings, a decrease of 14 from yesterday, with 16 cases among children and 27 cases among staff.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 31 new cases to report, including 13 in Kawartha Lakes, 8 in Peterborough, 7 in Northumberland, and 3 in Hastings Prince Edward. There are no new cases in Haliburton. None of the new cases reported today in licensed child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.

There has been 1 new COVID-related death in Kawartha Lakes — the second in two days — with 1 new hospitalization in Kawartha Lakes. There is also 1 new hospitalization in Peterborough.

An additional 29 cases have been resolved, including 9 in Hastings Prince Edward, 8 in Peterborough, 8 in Northumberland, 3 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton.

There are currently 189 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 8 from yesterday, including 85 in Peterborough, 42 in Kawartha Lakes, 30 in Northumberland, 27 in Hastings Prince Edward (8 in Quinte West, 14 in Belleville, 3 in Prince Edward County, and 2 in Central Hastings), and 5 in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 414 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (324 resolved with 5 deaths), 297 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (234 resolved with 34 deaths), 281 in Northumberland County (248 resolved with 3 deaths), 35 in Haliburton County (30 resolved with no deaths), and 319 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (287 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Kawartha Lakes on January 7.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 12 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).

Peterborough Public Health

Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.

The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 414 (increase of 8)
Active cases: 85 (decrease of 7)
Close contacts: 175 (increase of 8)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Resolved: 324 (increase of 15)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 17 (increase of 1)*
Total tests completed: Over 39,650 (increase of 50)
Outbreaks: Community Living Trent Highlands group home in Peterborough, Unidentified congregate living facility in Peterborough, Workplace in Otonabee-South Monaghan (no change)

*The health unit is reporting no additional hospitalizations. However, as of January 7, Peterborough Regional Health Centre reports a total of 4 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 on an inpatient unit. This is an increase of 1 from yesterday.

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.

The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 613, including 297 in Kawartha Lakes, 281 in Northumberland, and 35 in Haliburton (increase of 20, including 13 in Kawartha Lakes and 7 in Northumberland)*
Active cases: 78, including 42 in Kawartha Lakes, 30 in Northumberland, and 5 in Haliburton (net increase of 6)
Probable cases: 3, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 2 in Northumberland (no change)
High-risk contacts: 130, including 42 in Kawartha Lakes, 65 in Northumberland, and 7 in Haliburton (net decrease of 18)**
Hospitalizations (total to date): 26, including 17 in Kawartha Lakes, 8 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Kawartha Lakes)***
Deaths: 37, including 34 in Kawartha Lakes and 3 in Northumberland (increase of 1, in Kawartha Lakes)
Resolved: 512, including 234 in Kawartha Lakes, 248 in Northumberland, 30 in Haliburton (increase of 23, including 3 in Kawartha Lakes, 8 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton)
Institutional outbreaks: Christian Horizons group home in Northumberland, Hope St. Terrace long-term care home in Port Hope (no change)

*The health unit states that total counts and counts for individual counties may fluctuate from previously reported counts as cases are transferred to or from the health unit based on case investigation details and routine data cleaning.

**This total includes 16 high-risk contacts directly followed up through the Public Health Ontario contact tracing process that are missing the contacts’ county.

***As of January 7, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reports 4 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19.

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.

The health unit provides daily reports, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 319 (increase of 3)
Active cases: 27 (decrease of 6)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 2 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change)
Resolved: 287 (increase of 9)
Swabs completed: 30,187 (increase of 2)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 204,145 (increase of 3,519)
Resolved: 172,571 (increase of 2,776, 84.5% of all cases)
Positivity rate: 6.1% (decrease of 2.4%)
Hospitalized: 1,472 (increase of 9)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 363 (increase of 2)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 242 (decrease of 4)
Deaths: 4,856 (increase of 89)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,928 (increase of 43)
Total tests completed: 8,294,922 (increase of 65,772)
Tests under investigation: 65,772 (increase of 10,288)
Vaccinations: 12,251 daily doses administered, 72,631 total doses administered, 2,173 total vaccinations completed (2 doses)

For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.

A 45-year-old woman is dead following a house fire in the town of Colborne on Wednesday (January 6).

At around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, Northumberland OPP were notified of a fire at a home on Norton Lane.

Shortly after police arrived at the scene, Cramahe Township Fire Department also arrived and removed a female occupant from the blaze.

Northumberland paramedics transported her to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced deceased.

The OPP have since identified the victim as Tanya Skeew Hawk, 45, of Cramahe Township in Northumberland County.

OPP secured the location while the Office of the Fire Marshal conducted an investigation.

The fire has been deemed non suspicious in nature.

A 23-year-old Peterborough woman is facing an assault charge after a verbal dispute with a neighbour escalated on Wednesday (January 6).

At around 10 p.m. on Wednesday night, officers were called to an apartment building on Parkhill Road West after a woman called saying she had been assaulted after asking her neighbours to be quiet.

As a result of an investigation, 23-year-old Laura Thackeray was arrested and charged with assault.

Thackeray was released on an undertaking and is scheduled to appear in court on January 21st.

The female victim received minor injuries during the assault but did not require medical attention.

The good news-bad news rollercoaster that has marked the COVID-19 pandemic since day one is continuing true to form.

During her weekly media briefing held Wednesday (January 6), Peterborough’s medical officer of health Dr. Rosanna Salvaterra noted that, while she is expecting the first doses of vaccine to arrive locally before the end of January, infection numbers “have soared” as the full effects of the holiday season become apparent.

“We saw the beginning of our surge on Christmas Day with a tripling of our usual number of daily cases and this has been sustained with a record number of 20 new cases being reported one day this past weekend,” said Dr. Salvaterra.

The numbers lend proof to her assessment. As of Wednesday afternoon, there are currently 89 active cases of the virus in Peterborough Public Health’s catchment area of Peterborough city and county, Curve Lake and Hiawatha — a disturbing jump since December 23rd when there were 27 active cases locally.

“This represents a tripling of our (positive) cases over the past two weeks,” noted Dr. Salvaterra.

In total, there have been 399 local positive cases since the pandemic took hold in mid March 2020. That’s an increase of 119 cases over the past two weeks alone. In addition, public health is monitoring the status of 177 close contacts of positive cases — up from 107, again over the past two weeks.

“For the week starting December 28th, we reported 71 new cases,” reported Dr. Salvaterra. “For the week starting January 4th, so far we were at 13 new cases as of yesterday (Tuesday) evening. I can assure you this has increased again. In December, there were 137 new cases. So far, in January, we are already at 52 cases.”

“The trend is definitely worrisome. Fortunately, despite the significant rise in cases, there has been no change in the number of deaths in our community…these remain at five.”

Despite these sobering numbers, Dr. Salvaterra says it’s not all doom and gloom. An outbreak at Riverview Manor long-term care home on Water Street has been declared over, meaning there are no current outbreaks at senior care or retirement homes.

That said, three other outbreaks remain in effect, including a major outbreak that at its height saw 14 people — five residents and nine staff — test positive at a Peterborough community home overseen by Community Living Trent Highlands.

According to the Community Living Trent Highlands executive director Teresa Jordan, the outbreak was declared December 23rd. Five of the nine staff cases are now resolved while two of the five resident cases are likewise resolved. At this point, how COVID-19 was first introduced to that environment hasn’t been determined.

The other two outbreaks involve another congregate living facility, the identity of which hasn’t been disclosed as of yet by public health, and a workplace outbreak in Otonabee-South Monaghan that resulted in a “voluntary closure.” The number of cases associated with the congregate living facility were not released; the workplace outbreak has a total of eight cases, including four within the purview of Peterborough Public Health.

the answer is there are 8 total cases, with only 4 being local to our health unit area.

On the daily evolving vaccine front, Dr. Salvaterra said she’s “expecting” the first doses of vaccine to arrive locally before the end of January and the initial recipients will be residents of long-term care residences.

“We have areas in Ontario where the (COVID-19) risk is greater,” acknowledged Dr. Salvaterra.

“We have no outbreaks in long-term care at present. However, we have an increased incidence of COVID-19 and it’s growing every week. That will put the long-term care homes and their residents at greater risk.”

“We are preparing. We are meeting tomorrow (Thursday) with all of our home providers, long-term care and retirement homes and congregate living settings. There’s a checklist that will help them prepare for immunization. We have consent forms we will be sharing with them so as soon as we get delivery of vaccines we will be immunizing.”

That said, Dr. Salvaterra stressed once more that responsible individual behaviour is the best defence against continued community spread of the virus.

“Do I really need to go out? Can I do it virtually instead?” said Dr. Salvaterra, of what residents should be asking themselves.

“If you see a crowd, it’s up to you to turn around and stay away. Yes, we have enforcement in place but really it falls on the individual. If you have a symptom, get tested. If you are tested, don’t go shopping. Don’t go to work. Stay home until you get your result.”

Dr. Salvaterra added that while outdoor activity is encouraged, “Unless we can prevent crowding at outdoor rinks and on toboggan hills, we will see transmission of COVID occurring at those sites.”

She said the City of Peterborough will soon be posting capacity limit notices at rinks and toboggan hills. To that end, she noted there will be increased enforcement at outdoor winter activity locations.

“If I don’t see better adherence, I will have no other option but to order that these areas be closed,” she warned.

As for the suggestion from Premier Ford that the introduction of a curfew across Ontario isn’t off the table, Dr. Salvaterra said “There’s more that the province could be and should be doing,” adding she would “welcome” further measures as needed.

Also sitting in on Wednesday’s briefing were Peterborough Board of Health chair and Selwyn mayor Andy Mitchell, Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien, Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, and Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones — who made his frustration clear.

“We really need to get through to people that seem to want to protest this whole thing and go into denial,” said Warden Jones. “I’m hearing from them everyday, and I’m sure Diane (Mayor Therrien) is too, about how all this is phony and how their rights are being taken away.”

“We’ve really got to stop this nonsense and get together on this. Let’s be part of the solution, not part of the problem.”

Looking ahead, on Friday, January 15th at 2 p.m., Dr. Salvaterra will host a virtual community forum during which she will take questions from registered residents. To register, visit eventbrite.ca/e/135399941871. Dr. Salvaterra invites questions from the community in advance so she can try to address them during her presentation. A field to submit questions is included as part of the online registration process.

Anyone who has spent any amount of time with J. Murray Jones can be forgiven if he or she came away with the image of the character John portrayed by singer Billy Joel in his 1973 hit song ‘Piano Man’.

The recently re-elected Peterborough County warden — who is also mayor of Douro-Dummer Township — is indeed ‘quick with a joke.’ However, that affability aside, that’s where the comparison abruptly ends for, unlike Joel’s fictional bartender, there is absolutely no place Jones would rather be.

“I’m honoured,” Jones says of his re-election. “It’s what I enjoy doing and I think it’s the role I do best.”

Jones is now entering his 10th year as county warden, a record-setting run that was interrupted in December 2016 when Otonabee-South Monaghan Mayor Joe Taylor was elected to the position for a two-year term.

Acclaimed warden once more in 2018, Jones’ return bid this past December was contested by Scott McFadden, mayor of Cavan Monaghan Township. Following the tabulation of county councillors’ emailed votes, Jones emerged victorious.

“I have nothing but good things to say about Scott,” says Jones, dismissing outright any real or perceived animosity he has towards his warden seat challenger.

“Scott is extremely valuable at the council table. He has wonderful insight into all kinds of issues and, quite honestly, we would terribly miss the opportunity for him to delve into those issues.”

That matter settled, Jones brings his experience and steady hand to what will no doubt be an extremely challenging 2021 — a year that arrives shrouded in the dark shadow cast by the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected all of us in so many ways.

To that end, like municipal leaders across the province, Jones is anxious to see vaccine distribution in the county occur as soon as possible.

“We are making it very clear that we want county residents protected sooner than later,” he says.

“But let’s not throw stones. Are mistakes going to be made? Absolutely. But more mistakes are going to be made if we take on the negative attitude I keep hearing out of some people’s mouths. Let’s be part of the solution, not part of the problem.”

Also looming out there is the ongoing matter of annexation as the City of Peterborough seeks to secure land for industrial development. That issue, says Jones, “is very much in the ballpark of Cavan Monaghan Township.”

“The township is taking the lead. They’ve got to do what they think is right — we get that. But from a regional perspective, if we want jobs, if we want industries, if we want all these wonderful things moving in, we need to have a place to put them. There’s got to be some way for the city and the township and the county to come up with a way of working together and doing this.”

“We’ve been saying that for years but it keeps getting stalled. I think maybe it’s the way people talk to each other that prevents discussion from going any further. We (the county) tried to be the mediator in years past and it never really worked but, if the opportunity arises, I’d have no problem trying to get the two mayors together. We’ll see what happens. It’s been around for so long now.”

“I get both sides of the argument. If I was the mayor of Cavan-Monaghan I wouldn’t want the big city pushing me around and telling me what I should or shouldn’t do. You get your back up. I think anybody would. But from the city standpoint, they have no more room (to grow). There has got to be middle ground here.”

If there’s a silver lining to be found in the pandemic crisis, Jones says it can be found in what has generally been improved co-operation between the two municipalities, with one glaring exception — the lack of consultation with the county prior to the numerous road closures necessitated by the reconstruction of the Warsaw Swing Bridge on Parkhill Road east of Armour Road.

“That was handled extremely poorly by Mayor (Diane) Therrien and the city … I’ve told her that,” says Jones.

“The city treated the county and neighbouring townships in a very condescending way. That bridge is like five feet away from the Douro-Dummer boundary. What do you mean you’re not going to talk to us about it? Their decisions about closing these roads had a huge impact on county residents and there was absolutely no communication with us. Nothing.”

“I’m still upset about that. But you don’t go setting City Hall on fire because you didn’t get your way. You work on it and try to make the best of it.”

Jones says the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, of which he is a member, will continue to provide regional “clout” when it comes to lobbying the provincial and federal governments. In addition, Jones chairs the Eastern Ontario Regional Network that is now launching its Cell Gap Project that identifies where gaps are in rural cell phone connectivity and works to address those shortcomings.

Also in 2021, Jones says work will continue in earnest on the reconstruction of the James A. Gifford Causeway, spanning Chemong Lake between Ennismore and Bridgenorth, which Jones calls “the biggest infrastructure project that the county has been involved with.”

Now age 72, Jones says the sun is setting on his political life.

“You don’t know what’s around the corner but right now, if I had to give a definitive answer, this will likely be my final two years in the political game. I’d like a life with the freedom to do what I want to do and not have to put up with some people’s unusual comments who don’t know what they’re talking about. I need a break from that.”

But before that break comes, rest assured Jones will continue to make perfectly clear Peterborough County’s position in terms of the overall health of the region.

“We are not country hicks. We have 55,000 people who live outside the city limits. Without those 55,000 people, a big city like Peterborough would go down the tubes in a hurry. That’s why we sometimes get our back up when it becomes evident we are not getting the respect we deserve.”

“I remember (former Peterborough mayor) Daryl Bennett and I were at a meeting. There were maybe 100 people in the room. All we heard was ‘City, city, city … how wonderful … city, city, city.’ It got to be my turn to speak. I said ‘Just for the fun of it, all of you who live in the county, put your hand up.'”

“Well, 75 per cent of the people in that room put their hand up. That’s when I asked Daryl to go in the other room. I’d like to talk to my county ratepayers. We need more respect than we get. We’re starting to get that more, but maybe Peterborough city councillors and staff need to be reminded a little more. Without those 55,000 people, they’d be in a lot of trouble.”

In the meantime, Jones makes it clear that, while you can call him late for supper, don’t call him a politician.

“I absolutely detest it when people call me a politician,” he says. “I hate it. I’d like them to say he’s one of the few guys who wasn’t your typical politician. That he was there for the right reasons. That he made decisions to benefit all of us. That he was just an average guy and had the attitude he’s no better than anyone else. I’m doing the best I can do in the position that I’m in and I’m not going to apologize for that.”

Whatever the next two years brings, count on Jones always being ‘quick with a joke.’

“I like to promote a little bit of humour. You know me … that’s kind of what I do. There are 600 zillion people in China who really don’t care what Peterborough County council does. Let’s put it in perspective. Let’s do the best job we can possibly do and maybe have a little smile about it. The sun is still going to come up tomorrow.”