Lou Maieron counted himself among the throng of town residents who are trying to digest the News of his narrow victory in the Erin mayoral race.
“I’m a little shocked … I’m still assimilating it,” he said on Tuesday afternoon.
He won 1,701 votes (52%), just edging out incumbent Rod Finnie, who received 1,579 votes (48%).
Maieron said from the start he expected the race to be within 5% and while it would have been nice to have more support, “a victory is a victory.”
Noting he has already been called “the Rob Ford of Erin” several times, Maieron said his campaign pledge to be “open, transparent, honest and accountable” obviously struck a chord with residents.
“I’m a representative, not a politician,” he said.
Maieron noted he is pleased he will be working at the upper level with Ken Chapman, who defeated George Root in the ward 9 county council race, and congratulated Finnie for serving the community well for the past decade.
Finnie, while disappointed, said on Monday night the result “is what it is.” He noted the economy likely attracted voters to candidates promising fiscal restraint, and said perhaps it was time for a change in the municipality.
“Maybe people were tired of seeing me on the front page of the Advocate and the Advertiser,” he joked.
Finnie explained it was nice to finally open the new Erin medical centre – including an empty ambulance bay – last week, after years of work on the building.
“Losing is never easy, but at least I went out on top,” he said with a smile.
Incumbent councillor John Brennan, who led the polls with 2,169 votes, said the results are flattering, but he still only gets one vote on council, whether he finished first or fourth.
“I’d like to thank people for putting their faith in me and I will do my best to live up to the expectations,” he told the Advertiser.
Fellow incumbents Barb Tocher (2,043 votes) and Josie Wintersinger (1,847) finished second and third respectively, while newcomer Deb Callaghan (1,774) won the final seat on council.
Hopeful Shawn Wilson received 1,364 votes, Craig Porterfield won 1,137 and George Silva received 665.
Callaghan told the press on Monday night she is very happy with the results and looks forward to working with all the members of the new council.
