The exterior of Saint John City Hall is pictured in this file photo. (Staff photo)
Saint John will officially swear in its new mayor and council at a ceremony Monday night.
Donna Reardon will be officially named Saint John’s 79th mayor, succeeding outgoing mayor Don Darling, following an unusual five-year term that was extended due to the pandemic.
Joining Reardon around the council horseshoe will be 10 councillors, with two representatives for each of the city’s four wards, and two councillors-at-large who represent the entire city. This council session features four returning councillors, as well as six newly-elected members.
The returnees include councillor-at-large Gary Sullivan, Greg Norton representing Ward 1, and John Mackenzie in Ward 2, all serving for a third term. They’re joined by re-elected Ward 3 2018 byelection winner David Hickey.
New members include Gerry Lowe in Ward 3, who previously left the seat to represent Saint John Harbour provincially spurring the 2018 byelection, councillor-at-large Brent Harris, Joanna Killen in Ward 1, Ward 2 winner Barry Ogden, and Greg Stewart and Paula Radwan in Ward 4.
Outgoing councillors include councillor-at-large Shirley McAlary and ex-finance chair David Merrithew in Ward 4, who opted not to seek re-election, as well as Blake Armstrong in Ward 1, and Ray Strowbridge in Ward 4 who lost their re-election bids.
The other seat in Ward 2 was held by ex-councillor Sean Casey, who lost his seat in February after missing four consecutive meetings, breaking a Local Governance Act bylaw.
