Kauffeldt resigns council seat to be Bancroft’s new general manager

By Mike Riley

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

At their meeting on Nov. 9, the Town of Bancroft council accepted the resignation of Councillor Andra Kauffeldt, who will soon be assuming the role of general manager for the town. Her letter of resignation to council was dated Nov. 3. They also accepted a vacancy report from Amber McKenzie, the acting clerk, which detailed council's options for filling the council vacancy once Kauffeldt's resignation takes effect on Nov. 24.

Mayor Paul Jenkins brought up the resignation of Kauffeldt at the Nov. 9 council meeting, and congratulated her on her new role as the town's general manager. He said the process of finding and hiring the general manager had been a long one, with Deputy Mayor Charles Mullett, Treasurer Bill Davie and Jenkins sitting on the hiring committee.

“We had over 50 applications, very high, and we held quite a number of interviews and Councillor Kauffeldt was totally blind to the whole process. I think she probably wondered what was going on, but there was a lot to evaluate and the interview process was fairly detailed and lengthy,” he says.

Council then brought forth the resolution to accept Kauffeldt's resignation, and once passed, she said a few words. She thanked council for the experience over the past three years and said she was looking forward to continue working with them in her new role. Council also received a vacancy report from McKenzie, about when they'll declare Kauffeldt's seat vacant (after Nov. 24) and their options for filling the empty council seat. They can either appoint an individual to the vacancy or they can hold a byelection to fill it.

McKenzie told council that once the vacancy is declared, a resolution should be passed for the appointment process that council is going to take.

“To be considered for an appointment to fill a council vacancy, an eligible elector is required to complete and sign a declaration of qualification and a consent to appointment letter. So, there are no major financial implications of filling it by appointment. However, there would be significant costs associated with a byelection, and it was not budgeted for in the 2021 operating budget,” she says.

Jenkins thanked McKenzie and asked if there were any further questions. Hearing none, council proceeded to the next item of business on their agenda.

Kauffeldt reiterated to The Bancroft Times that she is grateful for the past three years on council and looks forward to continue representing the people of Bancroft in her new role. She says that she previously spent eight years on Limerick Township council before moving to Bancroft and securing a council seat here. She says she has loved her time as a councillor in Bancroft and was blessed with wonderful leaders and mentors who shared their wisdom and unknowingly helped prepare her for being the town's general manager.

“I am excited to be taking on this new responsibility. Amazing things are happening in our town, with many more to come. I don't ever recall a time when we had so much opportunity as a community. Downtown redevelopment, the community hub/library/housing project, other construction developments coupled with community involvement, programs and passion make this the perfect time to tackle this new challenge and work with council, staff and community members to make Bancroft the perfect place to live, work and play in every stage of life,” she says. “I am grateful for the opportunity before me and can't wait to embark on this new adventure.”