The torch has officially been passed to the new Morden Mayor and council. Council held its inaugural meeting and swearing-in ceremony in Morden Tuesday.

Morden's new mayor Brandon Burley, along with the six councillors, were sworn in during the ceremony led by Peter Cantelon.

RM of Stanley Reeve Morris Olafson was in attendance, to give greetings on behalf of the municipality, and congratulate Morden's leaders as they prepare for the next four years.

Burley says after waiting eleven days since being elected, the group was eager to get to work.

With a new council and new mandate, it's an exciting time for Council Burley says.

"There's a lot of projects on the go; there's a lot of reasons to be optimistic about Morden's future, it's a very, very bright future, and if we keep pulling the same way we're going to get a lot accomplished over four years."

Short-term priorities will be filling the vacant roles within the city says Burley, finding a Deputy City Manager and preparing for the new City Manager Faisal Anwar, working with him to see how he wants to organize the city department.Burley notes it is his commitment the council remains united, because if they become divided that's when council will fail.

During the ceremony, council approved Nancy Penner as the Deputy Mayor.

Penner will be Deputy Mayor for a two-year term; Burley says, though he did not have a lot of interaction with Penner before, during the election she proved what a capable person she was.

"She's a class act, and everything she does is with poise and grace. She has a real determination to see Morden advance, and it became clear to me she was an obvious choice for that position."

According to Burley, Penner would be the first female Deputy Mayor in Morden's history. However, that doesn't overshadow her credentials, says Burley, but shows that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

The council took care of some important business during its inaugural meeting, filling various roles.

Deputy Mayor

Nancy Penner

 

SWAMP

Hank Hildebrand, Gordon Maddock

 

Pembina Valley Water Co-op

Nancy Penner, Doug Frost (alt)

 

Agassiz Medical Centre

Doug Frost

Pembina Valley Conservation District

Garry Hiebert

 

MSTW Planning District

Doug Frost, Jim Hunt, Nancy Penner (alt)

 

Vet District Board
Garry Hiebert

 

Pembina Valley Tourism
Gordon Maddock

 

Morden Police Board
Hank Hildebrand, Jim Hunt

Subcommittees
Day Care
Doug Frost, Gordon Maddock, Nancy Penner (alt)

YMCA
Hank Hildebrand, Garry Haggerty (at large), Jim Hunt (alt)

Short-term priorities will be filling the vacant roles within the city says Burley, finding a Deputy City Manager and preparing for the new City Manager Faisal Anwar, working with him to see how he wants to organize the city's departments.