The mayor of Saint Andrews says he will be stepping down from his role in early June.
Brad Henderson made the “bittersweet” announcement in a social media post on Tuesday.
Henderson wrote that he has has always been open about this being his last term on council.
“Together, in 2021, my family and I agreed that four more years would be the right amount. After nine incredible years in public service, it’s time for me to be more present at home,” he said.
“While I was proud to serve an extended five-year term as Deputy Mayor during the challenges of a global pandemic, this current five-year term — extended by the province as part of municipal reform — came with no consultation or pressing need.”
Significant time commitment involved
In an interview with our newsroom, Henderson said being a mayor involves a significant time commitment.
As a result, he has spent many evenings and weekends away from his family over the past several years.
“There was a patch last fall that I actually took a look at my schedule and realized that I had about 100 straight nights of engagements and commitments, so not really much downtime,” he said.
“There’s a lot of council meetings, but then there’s regional service commission meetings, and really there’s a lot of different community organizations, groups and individuals that would like you to attend a different event.”
Henderson and his wife have three young boys, and he said they are becoming more active with extracurricular activities and sports.
“These years are going by very, very fast, and so I’m really excited to be home more,” he added.
First elected to council in 2016
Henderson was elected as a councillor in 2016 and served as deputy mayor from April 2017 until May 2021, when he was elected mayor.
During his tenure, the council has undertaken significant housing projects, including a new affordable housing development on Mowat Drive and working toward housing to support the New Brunswick Community College.
It has also purchased a much-needed ladder truck and begun the initial efforts to get the wharf refurbishment project underway. He has worked extensively to help support a winter tourism season.
“It has been a remarkable journey, and I’m committed to finishing these last two months with the energy, integrity, and dedication you deserve,” Henderson wrote in his statement. “There are still a few important files I’d like to help see through before my time is done.”
Henderson will officially step down during the June 2 meeting. Deputy Mayor Kate Akagi will assume the role of mayor until the next municipal election in May 2026.
With files from the Local Journalism Initiative/The Courier.
