Morrison re-elected as Caledon's mayor
Whitehead, Beffort, McClure, Payne join council
By Citizen Staff

Mayor-elect Marolyn Morrison

Caledon voters returned Marolyn Morrison to the mayor's chair Monday, to serve council in its first four-year term.

Morrison won the election with a total of 7,150 votes (51.79%), edging out her closest competitor, former councillor Garry Moore, who had a very strong showing, collecting 5,084 votes (36.82%). Former mayor Norm Calder finished third with a respectable 1,572 votes (11.39%).

A total of 14,015 voters cast their ballots, for a 34.70% turnout. This was slightly better than our showing in 2003, where 13,542 people voted (33.84%).

"I think this is wonderful," said mayor-elect Morrison. "We had a phenomenal campaign team and we knew the support was out there."

Her priority is to start on a second Caledon community work plan and she wants to pull all the new councillors together. She observed we have some absolutely wonderful people coming on council. "I can't wait to get going."

"I'm not happy about the results," said Moore. "I'm happy with our performance." Moore was pleased to see the numbers and support he received. The issues resonated among all camps, specifically infrastructure and youth services. "I'm happy to see some of the faces change on council," he said. The biggest surprise to him was the still low voter turnout and he was hoping for a roughly 40% turnout. "So many people were unhappy at the door, but people didn't come out and vote. A lot of people believed in me. I'm very happy with our campaign conduct. We gave it our best effort." Moore said he plans to stay involved in the community, but has no immediate political plans.

There's a new face in Doug Beffort as the new Ward 1 area councillor. He earned 1,261 votes, a 350-vote margin over nearest competitor Tim Forster, who collected 911 (36.75%). John Martin was third with 307 votes.

Richard Paterak returns as regional councillor, handily defeating Jim Pattison by 523 votes, 1,489 to 966. Paterak earned 60.7% of the vote.

The next new face is Ward 2 area councillor-elect Gord McClure, who triumphed in this two-person race. He collected 1,518 votes (60%), edging Stephen Townsend (1,012) by 506 votes (40%).

Allan Thompson will represent the ward at Peel Regional council, as he outpaced his competitors. Thompson won easily, collecting 1,589 votes (62.4%), ahead of Dave Tatla who gathered 562 (22.1%) and Donna Cragg, who took 397 (15.6%).

In what was a heated race for Wards 3/4 regional councillor,

former councillor Richard Whitehead got his old job back, ousting incumbent Nancy Stewart. Whitehead won by only 56 votes over Stewart, 1,525 (37.4%) to 1,469 (36%). Local businessman Tony Viola was third, earning a respectable 1,083 votes.

Nick deBoer will return to the Caledon council table as the Wards 3/4 area councillor. He had little trouble defeating newcomer Don McNeil of Palgrave, collecting 2,899 votes (75.3%) to McNeil's 950 (24.7%).

Annette Groves was given a stamp of approval by Bolton voters to continue as the regional councillor. In the race for that title, she collected 3,233 (70.6%) votes, ahead of challenger Kelly Darnley, who collected 1,248 (27.3%). Groves's total was a mere 38 votes below that of 2003. George Niras collected 99 votes.

Jason Payne is the new representative for Bolton as area councillor. He earned a total of 1,627 (37.7%) votes, ahead of Sandro Scerni, who collected 1,341 (31.1%), just 286 behind Payne. Sandy Forester finished third, earning 1,107 (25.7%) votes. Egle Boudreau was fourth, earning 238 votes (5.5%).

Valerie Arnold-Judge was re-elected trustee for the Peel District School Board. She collected 4,400 votes (47.7%), followed by strong contender Stan Cameron, who earned 3,202 (34.7%); Donna Hynes with 1,113 (12.1%), and C. Josefine Scott who earned 513 votes (5.6%).

Frank Di Cosola was acclaimed as the trustee on the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board.