Reeve Donaldson looks forward to 2015

March 26, 2015

By Jim Eadie

Hazel McCallion … look out!

The celebrated “Hurricane Hazel”, mayor of Mississauga for 36 years before retiring at age 93, and the poster child for senior citizens, has a local very low profile municipal manager now catching up to her in Tudor and Cashel Township.

Reeve Wanda Donaldson has been either elected or acclaimed to her council for 32 years, “and reeve for … let’s see, 11 years … I think … I’ve lost track now,” she said.

In fact her husband’s great grandfather, Charles Donaldson, was the very first head of Tudor and Cashel council after 1880, when Limerick and Wollaston Townships deserted their poor cousins to stand alone as municipalities.

“I want my municipality to be fiscally sound, and remain self sufficient,” she said.

Donaldson is proud of the current health and wellness programs initiated and supported by her council, from aerobics classes to “our little medical clinic we have in cooperation with the Central Hastings Family Health Team.”

“I have wanted to work towards a seniors’ building here,” she said. “I also want to work towards more inclusive plans with our seasonal residents, who pay a large share of our taxes.”

Some of the roadblocks include the incredibly high cost of maintaining infrastructure, especially roads, as well as paying the school, county, educational levies, and the cost of policing.

“What I hold most dear in this township … is the people here, caring about each other, rallying around when help is needed, raising money and volunteering,” she said. “A huge thank you should go out to them. We are the little hamlets of McRae, The Ridge, Millbridge, Gilmour and Gunter. There are beautiful pristine lakes … it is beautiful here in summer.”

Donaldson believes in good discussion and teamwork as the best way to get things done. She expects that the employees of the municipality work to the best of their abilities, and she believes that they do. “We have good staff here,” she said.

“And I can be tough, if I need to be,” she said quietly.