Council poised to select Tyler Allsopp for vacant seat

It appears as though the candidate that finished just out of the running the last local election will fill the seat left vacant by the late Pat Culhane.

It seems the vote to reconsider Tyler Allsopp for the position will be supported at Monday’s council by a vote of 7 to 1.

Today (Thursday) Councillor Bill Sandison said he’d support Allsopp and on CJBQ’s Lorne Brooker Show Mayor Mitch Panciuk said he would as well.

Councillor Kelly McCaw told Quinte News she will be voting no to the reconsideration and Allsopp’s appointment.

In changing their original positions in support of an ad-hoc committee to vet candidates for an appointment the mayor and councillors Kelly and Sandison all said they’d heard from a lot of people wanting council to appoint whomever was next in line on the ballot in the last election.

Mayor Panciuk stressed again that everyone knew a search for diversity on council, with a focus on the appointment of a woman to provide more balance, would be controversial but said it was important to consider all alternatives.

“What we did and should be doing is considering all viewpoints, and not just the loudest voices and not just those who voted in the last election but also the 60% of people who did not vote.  Who is going to represent their voices?  That’s what I hope comes from this.”

Panciuk said he hopes more people from all walks of life get involved in local governance in one form or another.

For her part, Councillor McCaw said the only reason she would not support Allsopp was a social media post from him that said he was too busy to serve on council.  “Diversity was not my reason for not supporting Allsopp.”

McCaw thought it better to appoint someone more committed to the job.

Meanwhile McCaw said she had been subject to a lot of social media abuse after being appointed as the Chair of the ad-hoc committee charged with selecting a candidate for recommendation to council.

“… which really had nothing to do with me.  I didn’t form the committee, I was just appointed as I am every other committee.”

The ad-hoc committee was formed under the direction of Mayor Panciuk.

Allsopp has more recently said he would be ready and willing to serve on council.

An extended interview with Panciuk from Thursday’s “The Lorne Brooker Show” can be heard below.