Wawa Mayor Ron Rody's stepping down after 21 years on Council, the last seven as mayor.
Rody made the announcement in last night's Council meeting - saying he'll depart at the end of the month, as he and his wife move to Sault Ste. Marie - noting he looks at his resignation with "mixed emotion".
As for his time on Council, Rody says he's particularly proud of the work the community did to replace the Wawa Goose monument - noting corporate sponsorships but also support from across the country - and he also highlights the recent opening of the new seniors building at 37 Algoma.
Rody urges his colleagues on Council to "continue the great work that's being done" - noting they received an outline of a new strategic plan last night - and he encourages anyone interested in running for Council in next year's election to read the plan and the transformation review, saying they outline the specific needs of the community over the next few years.
Recognizing his service, Deputy Mayor Pat Tait presented Rody with a framed goose print.
Council did receive a staff report on filling the vacancy, though discussion of the issue has been put off until the next Council meeting, on December 14th.
Like with any other Council vacancy, the Municipal Act requires Council either call a by-election or fill the mayor's seat by appointment within 60 days of it being declared vacant, unless it's within 90 days before a regular municipal election day - if a current Council member's appointed to that role, then their seat would need to be filled per the same rules.
This is the second Wawa Council vacancy in recent months, after Robert Reece resigned as a councillor just shy of two months ago - Council quickly appointed Cathy Cannon to his seat, as she was the runner-up in the 2018 election.