With a few teary eyes and in front of friends, family, neighbors and the community they will now serve, Stratford’s new mayor and councilors made their official declarations of office at the city’s inaugural council meeting Monday night.
The first meeting of the 2022-2026 term of Stratford council was held at the Stratford Rotary Complex to accommodate a crowd not seen at a city council meeting since before the COVID-19 pandemic. At the start of the meeting, Stratford’s new mayor, Martin Ritsma, and each new councilor had the opportunity to introduce their guests and thank voters for having the confidence in them to represent their interests on council for the next four years.
“In my first election, my boys were four and they struggled … putting that first election sign in (the ground), one on either side pushing down frantically to get that sign in,” said Coun. Brad Beatty as he prepared to begin on his fourth term on council. “…Here I am now. My boys are 20. … I am fortunate to be here now with my family who have walked this journey with me.”
As has become tradition at Stratford’s inaugural council meetings, music teacher Mark McIntosh and the multi-award-winning Avon Public School Choir was on hand to sing the national anthem and a few other songs as the new members of council made their official declarations of office , St. Marys Mayor Al Strathdee and Perth County deputy warden Rhonda Ehgoetz delivered greetings and well wishes from Stratford’s neighboring municipalities, and former Stratford Mayor Dan Mathieson handed over Stratford’s Chain of Office bearing the names of each Stratford mayor to come before him to Ritsma in a ceremonial passing of the torch dating back to 1956.
Ritsma then delivered his inaugural address to the city as its new mayor. He spoke about the need for Stratford council, city staff and the community as a whole to work collaboratively in addressing the local labor shortage and climate change, moving the needle forward on equity, diversity and inclusion, forging ahead with plans for the development of Stratford’s Grand Trunk Community Hub, and openly communicating with and being accountable to the residents the city serves.
“I am proud to be a mayor of a city which celebrates and advocates for the arts and industry; a community where all are valued and where residents are measured only by the size of your heart and the kindness that you share. I believe that in the City of Stratford there is always much more to unite us than to divide us.
“Let’s work together, let’s walk together, let’s build a future together in this beautiful home called Stratford,” Ritsma said, wiping a tear from his eye.
