GUELPH/ERAMOSA – Council formally declared Ward 3 councillor Louise Marshall’s position vacant on March 7.
On Feb. 18, Marshall submitted her letter of resignation and effective March 4, the Ward 3 councillor stepped down from her position due to medical reasons.
First elected in 2014, Marshall served on Guelph/Eramosa council for seven years. She previously worked as an administrative assistant for the City of Guelph.
Ahead of the meeting, in an interview with the Advertiser, Mayor Chris White noted while council and staff were aware of Marshall’s medical issues, they didn’t realize she’d reached the point of resignation.
“She’s had some medical issues for the past little while and so she’s been to council on and off and I guess her and her family made the decision the best thing for her health would be to step down,” White said.
LOUISE MARSHALL
He added Marshall was a great addition on council and he’s sad to see her go.
“She’s been a great councillor,” White said.
“She knew her stuff, she worked hard for her community, especially the folks in Eden Mills.
“You don’t like to see a great councillor like that have to step away, so she will absolutely be missed.”
Not only was she a great councillor, White said, but a great person as well.
“She was a well-liked, well-respected individual and its sad to have to see her resign for medical reasons,” he explained.
“She was a grass-roots person and I know she was very involved in her community before she was on council.
“She was always involved in everything that was going on and council was a logical extension of that work in the community.”
The Advertiser contacted Marshall for comment but did not receive a reply.
Filling the vacancy
In the March 7 meeting, director of legislative services Amanda Knight presented council with various options to fill the vacant position:
- appointment from the 2018 municipal election candidates;
- appointment by call for applications from interested and eligible persons;
- to submit an application for appointment by council;
- direct appointment by council without an application process and without referencing recent election results; or
- directing a by-election be conducted within 60 days after the seat is declared vacant.
After reviewing the options, councillors each agreed proceeding with a by-election was off the table with the next municipal election quickly approaching.
Councillors agreed to appoint a 2018 municipal election candidate, which was deemed by staff to be the most cost efficient and timely option to fill the vacancy.
Proceeding with this option would appoint the next candidate in line from the 2018 municipal election, Steven Liebig, should he accept the offer.
In the 2018 election, Liebig received 556 votes for the Ward 3 position (Marshall had 711).
Council approved the appointment of the 2018 second place candidate and Knight will contact Liebig to determine if he has an interest in accepting the position for the time being.
An Oath of Office could be administered as soon as March 21 or April 4 if the appointment bylaw is enacted at a separate, preceding meeting, the report to council noted.
