‘Let’s be bold,’ Sendzik tells council
St. Catharines city politicians sworn in until 2022
Mayor Walter Sendzik reflected on the past four years of building a compassionate city while challenging new city council and the community.
“Let’s be bold. Let’s be leaders. Let’s build a city with a lens of compassion,” he said during his inaugural address for the 2018-22 council term Monday night.
“The next seven generations deserve nothing less.”
Sendzik’s address in Partridge Hall at FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre followed his swearing in for a second term.
Five new faces and seven incumbent councillors took their oaths, witnessed by regional and provincial politicians, dignitaries, friends, supporters and interested citizens.
Borrowing from his state of the city address in January, Sendzik
talked about events that were expected and unexpected during his first term of council, adding it’s often “the space between the expected and the unexpected where cities truly find their collective identity.”
“As a council there are certain expectations placed upon us. To be accountable, transparent, accessible. To be financially responsible. To ensure everyone has a voice and is respected in our community,” he said.
“You, the public, expect us to
leave the city in a better place than before we were elected.”
He said no one expected a housing market pushing people out of the city, one of the lowest rental vacancy rates, social housing under serious strain and shelters turning people away. No one expected St. Catharines would be one of the hardest hit cities in Canada with the opioid crisis.
“No one expected a bridge,” he said pausing, his voice cracking, “to become a symbol for a mental health crisis that is facing many families in our city.”
Sendzik said he is proud the past term of council took a bold stand and unanimously supported an overdose prevention site in St. Catharines. Councillors also approved a housing action plan to begin to address the issues of affordable housing and declared a city-owned downtown property surplus, designating it for affordable housing.
He said few expected those issues to face the city and he is immensely proud of how council, city staff and the community have risen to the challenge.
“That’s how you build one of Niagara’s most dynamic, livable, sustainable, innovative cities — exceed people’s expectations on the expected and rise up and meet the unexpected with force and conviction,” he said.
“That is how you transform a community and that’s what a compassionate city is about, transforming a community in many ways, in ways many thought was impossible.”
Sendzik said building a compassionate city is messy, but St. Catharines can’t shy away or leave others to deal with it.
The inauguration of the 139th city council Monday saw newlyelected councillors sworn in — Lori Littleton, Greg Miller, Karrie Porter, Kevin Townsend and Dawn Dodge, who served on a previous term.
Littleton, representing Merritton ward, said after the ceremony that she’s been getting calls from residents since being elected and has already met with four citizen groups.
“After the election it started right away. I didn’t have time to process it,” she said, adding the swearing in made it official.
Fellow Merritton councillor Miller said he thought there was a good mix of returning councillors and new councillors who will have their say.
He said there will be some disagreement along the way but they are all there to make the city a better place.
“I’m feeling excited. There was a lot of energy backstage to get started,” he said.
Townsend, of St. George’s ward, said new councillors have had orientation and there’s been a lot of learning to do. He’s been familiarizing himself with the draft 2019 budget, which council will vote on in two weeks, and circling items with question marks.
“I’m looking forward to just getting to work,” he said.
Incumbents Carlos Garcia, Matt Harris, Joe Kushner, Bill Phillips, Mat Siscoe, Sal Sorrento and Bruce Williamson were also sworn in.
Kushner, attending his 16th inauguration, said what he likes about the new council is its political diversity, which brings different philosophies.
“It’s more diverse than the last couple of councils and I think that’s a great attribute for council because you have more debate,” he said, explaining debate gives better reasoning to the decisions councillors make.
“I have no problem with councils that have 7-5 or 7-6 outcomes as long as the debate is respectful. Historically we’ve always had respectful debates and I would assume that characteristic will continue.”
The new council will meet for business on Dec. 10 at city hall.