Freshly-minted Cornwall mayor Gerald Parisien, former merchant, broadcaster (CJSS) and alderman, made his first big decision after a casual swearing in ceremony in the clerk’s office on the morning of Jan. 1, 1975.
He announced that he would restore the tradition of wearing the chain of office at regular council meetings. (This wasn’t exactly a burning election campaign issue). His predecessor, Ed Lumley, abandoned the long-standing tradition, protesting that it was too cumbersome. He wore the chain just twice in his three-year term: His first and last council meetings. Every mayor since 1945, when the chain was donated to the city by the Kinsmen Club, had worn the chain for council meetings and special occasions.
Lumley was elected member of Parliament for Stormont-Dundas in the summer of 1974 but did both jobs until his mayoral term finished at the stroke of midnight on Dec. 31. At the time, the dual roles were not considered a conflict. It is believed Lumley was the first Canadian, and perhaps only, politician to serve as both mayor and MP.
ALSO IN 1975 – Two New Year’s Day babies were born – Hotel Dieu and General – in the city…The weather station at the filtration plant recorded 21 inches of snow in December. The high was 54F with the low 2F…City council voted to restrict self-serve gas stations in the city to seven, including one that already operated on Pitt Street. Two more would be permitted on Pitt with others on Montreal Road, Second Street West, Vincent Massey Drive and Brookdale Avenue. Council had been concerned over the safety of motorists pumping their own gas. The oil companies said the price at self-service pumps would be two cents a gallon cheaper. They just didn’t say for how long. Gas stations switched to metric in 1979. … Hurley MacDougall was named Citizen of the Year…Cornwall Collegiate won the Reach for the Top (CBC-TV) regional title with a win over Osnabruck District. Team members were Phil Kelly, Paul MacPhee, Steve O’Shea and Bob Sproul. Representing Osnabruck were Doug Schultz, Jundra Tupy, Brian Shaver and Mark Fairthorne…Candy Woods of CCVS was crowned high school winter carnival queen, Miss Blizzard. Princesses were Suzanne Patenaude of SLHS and Susan Terriah of GVSS…Sod was turned for the $7.2 million civic complex. A federal-provincial infrastructure grant provided $6.2 million for the project. It was part of a $14 million federal-provincial aid package. When the first arena design came in $1 million over the grant, council elected to scale back the seating rather than spend the extra money…Rev. Fred Rennie was installed as pastor of St. John’s Presbyterian Church, the 11th pastor in the congregation’s history…For the second consecutive year, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger topped the list of most admired men in the United States. Rev. Billy Graham finished second for the fifth consecutive year. Pope Paul was 12th….Bird Construction of Toronto was awarded the contract to serve as project manager for construction of the new Transport Canada Training Institute…SD and G County Board of Education voted against allowing the Dundas County Federation of Agriculture to apply for a liquor permit for its dinner/dance at North Dundas District High School. The board noted it had a policy of not allowing the sale of alcohol on school property. Trustee Sam McLeod suggested the organization hold the event in a licensed establishment, while trustee Albert Morin didn’t see anything wrong with the request and noted that many Roman Catholic churches allowed allowed liquor to be served at events in their halls. Trustee Lorne Mellan noted that making alcohol available at such events seem to be the “in thing”…Singer Helen Reddy was named worst dressed female celebrity…Ald. Gerald Samson Sr. railed against Mayor Gerald Parisien’s suggestion that a property tax increase would be needed to cover rising costs. “That’s an awful word (tax increase) and I hope I never hear it again,” he said…Members of Parliament started the year with a pay increase that boosted pay cheques to $26,000 from $18,000. They also received an $8,000 tax free expensive allowance…A self-serve liquor store was planned for the Brookdale Plaza…Ald. Larry Keen Sr. proposed that seniors be given free rides on Cornwall Transit…Immigration minister Robert Andras said the country needed to restrict the number of foreign doctors entering Canada, and only admit those who agreed to set up a practice where doctors were in short supply.
THIS AND THAT Paul Fitzpatrick, former Cornwall chief administrative officer, likes to joke that hiring Maureen Adams as Cornwall’s chief financial officer (CFO) in 2007 cemented his legacy. Adams, a Cornwall native (her father was a bank manager), came to the city from the private sector (auto company head office in Toronto) but quickly adapted to the public sector. She was promoted to CAO in 2016 and established herself as a competent, much respected team leader who was tough but fair. Interesting that she wasn’t sure she wanted to seek the city job when it became available and put her name in the hat at the application deadline, which was welcomed with a sigh of relief by senior staffers who held her in high regard. She was the city and counties first female CAO. The city went to the CAO system in 1974…Municipal Works general manager Michael Fawthrop, North Glengarry’s new CAO, is the third city manager hired by a United Counties municipality as CAO in the last 12 months. Does the term “farm team” come to mind?
TRIVIA One of Toronto’s most prominent public buildings in the heart of the city is named after this former Cornwall resident who grew up on York Street and graduated from Cornwall Collegiate.
TRIVIA ANSWER According to a Forbes survey/poll, the average New Year’s resolution lasts 3.75 months.
QUOTED The best things in life are free, but sooner or later the government will find a way to tax them. – Unknown
L’article Gerald Parisien restored
traditional chain of office est apparu en premier sur Cornwall Seaway News.
