By Pauline Kerr

Two local mayors, Mitch Twolan of HuronKinloss and Anne Eadie of the Municipality of Kincardine, have already declared their intention to run for the position of Bruce County warden in November. Both say the competition is a friendly one – they’ve worked together effectively on a number of key projects including bringing natural gas to the area. And both have important reasons for running. Twolan, the current warden, is seeking another term because there’s “unfinished business” he wants to see to a successful completion, including the health unit amalgamation, the situation with Brucelea Haven, the natural gas project and SWIFT (Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology – access to fast, reliable, unlimited broadband). And there’s the hydrogen project in which the county is partnering with Saugeen First Nation. And the Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII) – Twolan is the vice-chair of the board. And the social housing building project. And tourism. “There are a lot of projects that aren’t quite finished,” Twolan said. Before deciding to throw his hat in the ring for another term, Twolan received assurances of support from township staff and council, and of course his wife. “I couldn’t do it without their support,” he said. Twolan reiterated that he’s “driven” to get the natural gas project done, just as he was driven to “make it happen.” He chairs the Western Ontario Wardens Caucus that initiated the move to bring state-of-theart broadband technology to rural communities. “We’re starting to see that come to fruition,” he said. At the federal and provincial levels, change is happening at what Twolan called “light speed.” Although it’s demanding in terms of time and expertise, Twolan said, “I still really like it,” and he wants to make sure “everything comes together.” As far as Eadie is concerned, “it’s time.” She’s served on county council for five years and would like to “keep the position true to its democratic roots.” Eadie has the advantage of 15 years of experience in municipal government with not one but two municipalities, beginning her political career in Huron-Kinloss before moving to Kincardine where she ran for mayor in 2014 and was re-elected in 2018. She’s lived and worked on farms and in towns. “I love living in Bruce County,” she said. And she loves being mayor of the community that hosts Bruce Power and OPG (Ontario Power Generation). “These are exciting times for nuclear,” Eadie said. “There are exciting things going on in Bruce County and I want to be part of it.” She stresses the fact that there’s more to the area than the nuclear industry. Her background in education has given her organizational skills that Tapply quite well to municipal government. Her first-hand knowledge of agriculture and keen interest in environmental issues give her a unique perspective on other aspects of life in Bruce County. She has a strong interest in economic development, including the supply chain companies that are moving to the area and the small businesses, as well as companies like Superheat and 7Acres. Eadie stresses the importance of diversification, and how there are more opportunities than ever thanks to the digital economy. She notes that one-third of the property taxes paid by local residents go to the county. As mayor, she automatically sits on county council where there is a different set of responsibilities – social services, ambulance, libraries, museums and, of course, county roads, bridges, and planning. She’s well aware of the importance of ensuring the situation at Brucelea Haven is resolved, as well as the many other county issues that affect all Bruce County residents. As the time draws closer to November, when county councillors will select one of their own to serve as warden, The Independent will publish updates and additional stories.