Derik Brandt resigning from City Council

Ward 3 Councillor Derik Brandt, Mayor Rowswell's most vocal opponent in local politics, has accepted a job in Thunder Bay and will be resigning his Council seat.

In a faxed announcement received by media outlets on Monday night, Brandt says he'll start his new job as Thunder Bay's economic development boss on July 11, but won't be able to announce the exact date of his resignation until the next City Council meeting on July 8.

"It will happen rather quickly," the councillor said.

The full text of Brandt's announcement follows:

'I ran to change things for the better in our community'

"It is with mixed emotions that I announce I will be resigning from City Council.

"Two to three months ago I was approached by an executive recruiting firm out of Toronto for the position of Manager of Tourism & Economic Development for the City of Thunder Bay.

"They had heard about both my professional and political reputation in economic development and tourism.

'This is Bruce Strapp's counterpart in Thunder Bay'

"After an extensive selection proccss, I have agreed to head up the Development Division for Thunder EDC. (Explanatory Note: this is Bruce Strapp's counterpart in Thunder Bay.)

"As an economist, and having been certified as an industrial and economic development professional in 1999, 1 am very much looking forward to starting this position.

"I regret having only finished roughly two years of my term, and I know there will be those disappointed by my departure.

"I am especially grateful for the strong support I had throughout the city, but particularly in Ward 3.

'The election of 1997 was unlike any other'

"When I first ran for Council it was with the expressed intent of changing things. I ran to change things for the better in our community. The election of 1997 was unlike any other, and it produced a team of councillors that had economic diversification as their number one priority.

"I also made many friends on the Councils of 1997 and 2000. The last five years have been difficult transitional years.

"However, we have come through the worst and have laid the groundwork for tomorrow's growth.

'I have had a vision...'

"I have had a vision of what Sault Ste. Marie can be and being on Council was part of my small contribution in getting us there.

"My priorities have always been integrity, good government and economic diversification.

"Understanding that accomplishments on Council are achieved through teamwork, I was able to successfully lead the charge on or actively support a number of important initiatives that changed our community.

"The initiatives that I drove the hardest, and am proudest of, would be obtaining support and financing for the Waterfront Boardwalk extension, creation of the call centre industry in the Sault and my ongoing efforts towards integrity and good government such as the implementation of caucus minutes.

'Items I drove or actively supported'

Partial list of items I drove or actively supported that changed our community:

- Obtained the support of the provincial government and financing for a new hospital

- Financing and successful startup of the Innovation Centre

- Improvement in the City's credit rating

- Design, completion and implementation of the industrial marketing strategy

- Design and completion of the industrial land study

- Secured the support and financing for an extension of the waterfront boardwalk

- Creation of the call centre industry in Sault Ste Marie

- Establishment of the economic development fund, with increased funding each year

- Prioritizing the revamping of our Zoning By-Law policies as one of council's top priorities

- Successful support of ASI's restructuring

- Increased funding for tourism

- Participation in the Communities In Bloom program

- Establishment of minutes for caucus meetings

- Procedural bylaw review

- Establishment of a public record of all Council meetings for the first time

- Municipal code of conduct for all staff

- New guidelines for the recruitment of senior staff

- More police constables on the street

- Elimination of the sewage overflow into St Mary's River

- Household hazardous waste depot

- Cardboard recycling policy

- Expanded smoking bylaw

- John Rhodes Sports Complex

- Maintained the Churchill Library with increased funding

- Funding for the Teen Centre

- Substantial reinvestment into our road infrastructure

- And more

'I will be starting new position on July 11'

"Moving the community forward isn't just about dreams, it is about accomplishments.

"I will be starting new position on July 11. Over the next week I will be laying out a timetable for my transition.

"As a result I will not be able to announce the exact date of my resignation until at the end of the next Council meeting of July 8, though it will happen rather quickly.

"I will not be available for further comment or interviews on this matter until I address Council at that meeting."

We E-mailed this news to our subscribers at 6:53 p.m. Monday

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