Easton returned; Foster off to Region

By Joanne McDonald

For NewsNow

Ninety-six year old Margaret Romagnoli said her daughter is doing a good job and Lincoln voters agreed, returning Sandra Easton to the mayor’s seat with a resounding win in Monday’s municipal election.

An early and strong lead set the course for Easton, winning a 66 per cent mandate with 4,397 votes over contender Robert Condotta with 2,235 votes.

Lincoln is in the midst of exciting growth and change and Easton wants to continue to provide new opportunities for residents and business owners to help shape the future of the town.

She said the campaign was a challenge.

“I am looking forward to the work ahead.”

That includes fighting for the future of the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital.

Easton said she was absolutely amazed at the numbers and thanked her supporters and Town staff including Lincoln CAO Mike Kirkopoulos.

“Those are the roles that make things happen,” Easton said, adding the transition to the new term will be smooth and “we’ll hit the ground running.”

The Town has developed its strategic direction from conversations at the door during elections. “We did that last term and had a very energetic agenda and terrific support from staff to get the job done,” Easton said, estimating about 180 activities and projects were put in motion including investments in roads and customer service activities.

“All of those jobs were completed or are in process.”

“The citizens helped us develop the vision, A Place to Grow, A Place to Prosper, A Place to Belong,” Easton said, and the new council can move effectively through the transition, “as we now have the information from the doors to put under those headlines and put a price on each of those items.”

“It worked well last term, we stuck to our agenda and we made things happen and we’ll do it again,” Easton said.

“We are going to have a great council in Lincoln. There are some really strong people that are being brought on,” said newly elected Niagara regional councillor Rob Foster. Former Ward 1 Lincoln councillor, Foster won his bid for the regional seat with 3,579 votes over John Kralt, 2,755 votes.

“It’s been pretty clear right across the region that change is really truly needed,” said Foster. His immediate focus is to look at regional governance issues including code of conduct and expenses policies.

“Until we get this right, all the other work that we have to do including truck issues in Lincoln and social responsibilities can’t be done properly until we get the governance for the region working properly,” Foster said.

“We have to look at the NPCA (Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority). My personal preference is let’s get the politicians out of the NPCA board,” Foster said.

Lincoln Council will see a number of familiar faces returned for the next term including five incumbents and three newcomers.

Ward 1 incumbent Dianne Rintjema won her seat with 872 votes, joined by newcomer Adam Thomas Russell, 834 votes.

Contenders included Erik Rogerson, 321 votes, Scott Gabel, 280 votes, Justin Zegers, 222 votes, and Martin Poos, 141 votes.

Ward  2 incumbents John D. Pachereva with 1,119 votes and Tony G. Brunet with 1,089 votes retained their seats over challengers Stephanie M. Villers with 382 votes and Jan A. Oberholzer, 265 votes.

Ward 3 seats went to Mike Mikolic with 1,087 votes and incumbent Paul MacPherson, 1,022 votes.

Also in the running were Dave Thompson, 846 votes, Dave Klassen, 502 votes, and Jay Millington, 59 votes.

Ward 4 incumbent Lynn Timmers won handily with 816 votes. She is joined by newcomer Greg Reimer, 630 votes. Reimer will fill the seat held by retiring and long time councillor Wayne MacMillan.

Brian Romagnoli ran a close third with 604 votes, Alvin Danyluck, 220 votes, and Sarah Anne Philbrick-Djerfi, 203.