Essex town councillor Sherry Bondy is hoping that Mayor Ron McDermott and councillor Randy Voakes can put their differences behind them.
On Monday, a Superior Court judge dismissed a motion made by McDermott to remove Voakes from office.
McDermott argued Voakes breached the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act during a vote in September 2017 on the integrity commissioner's report. But Justice Thomas Carey ruled there was no breach.
Bondy says despite differences, each member of council brings a lot to the table and they want to move the town forward. "With only a few months remaining on this term, council needs to work together," says Bondy. "The ball is truly rolling really fast right now. We have a great administrative team and each council member despite their differences brings a lot forward."
Bondy addressed council during Monday night's meeting, saying there's no time to dwell over the past. "It's time to put those differences in the past and really just focus on moving forward and that's what I'm there for. There's lots of hot topics that are coming up and I really want to have healthy debates with council members and leave the personalities behind. Let's pack that all in and let's move forward together as a team."
"Let's leave the personalities behind and we all have a mandate to work together until the end of this term," says Bondy. "The decision has been made let's not dwell over it. Let's keep it kosher in the council chambers and let's just try and get along for our municipality."
The next election is in October.
McDermott has indicated he doesn't plan to seek re-election but there has been no word from Voakes.