The final Pelham Town Council meeting before Monday’s municipal election was a short affair last Monday, Oct. 17, highlighted by outgoing Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore declaring on three separate occasions that he did not “run away.”
The first proclamation came during council’s usual Indigenous land acknowledgment statement, which rotates between members at the beginning of each virtual meeting.
Mayor Marvin Junkin assigned the task to Kore, who appeared surprised.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t notified,” Kore said. “I just want to make sure for the record I wasn’t afraid to do it, but you know how …. misinformation we get.”
That drew a laugh from several members of council, including a hearty one from fellow lame duck Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun.
“And I didn’t run away,” Kore added cryptically.
The land acknowledgment assignment appeared to be a mistake on Junkin’s part, and the statement was then read by another outgoing member, Ward 1 Councillor Marianne Stewart.
Shortly after, council was asked if they had any pecuniary interests related to the agenda.
Kore declared a conflict on a DeVries Fruit Farm application to host a Christmas farmers market. Asked the nature of his conflict of interest by Town Clerk Holly Willford, Kore said he would disclose it when the matter arose.
“I’ll wait until that comes up, and this time I won’t run away like someone said I did,” he said.
Kore seemed to be referring to his declaration of a conflict at a Sept. 6 meeting, in which he departed the gathering before disclosing a pecuniary interest related to his twin brother, and failed to submit that information to the Town Clerk in the timeframe specified by the Municipal Act.
This time, Kore divulged his conflict when the matter arose.
“I deal with DeVries [Fruit] Farm on a regular basis, I deal with them on a weekly basis. And I’m not too sure any of my family members pick fruit for them. So, I’ll probably find out next Tuesday if any of my family members pick fruit for them,” he said.
“So, I will have that report on your desk Holly on Friday,” Kore added, referring to submitting documentation of his pecuniary interest to Willford.
“And this time I didn’t run away, thank you.”
With Kore’s Del Shannon/Real McCoy/Kanye West routine (depending on one’s musical generation) complete, he temporarily departed the meeting and council unanimously granted DeVries the application to host the market on Dec. 3 in Fenwick.
Odds and ends
Ward 3 councillor Bob Hildebrandt moved an amendment to receive a full cost impact of soil investigation and foundation design for the new Town Hall addition by council’s Dec. 5 meeting. Engineers have noted that the soil outside Town Hall may have a lower than expected bearing capacity, and that additional foundation work could tack about $85,000 onto the cost of the project, which is mostly covered by a grant. Hildebrandt voiced concern that the grant is dependent on progress by February. Public Works Director Jason Marr said a report was already being prepared.
Stewart moved her motion, announced at the last meeting, to improve the student crossing on Canboro Road near Wellington Heights school. It was supported by all members. Ward 1 Councillor Wayne Olson voiced concern about motorists’ speed on the stretch of road.
