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HomeNewsBracebridge mayor granted unpaid leave of absence once provincial election starts

Bracebridge mayor granted unpaid leave of absence once provincial election starts

Bracebridge’s Deputy Mayor Rick Maloney will handle mayoral duties once the provincial election starts.

That’s because Graydon Smith, the town’s mayor since 2010, will be running as the Progressive Conservative candidate for Parry Sound-Muskoka in the upcoming provincial election. He’s running in place of incumbent MPP Norm Miller who is retiring after representing the riding for two decades.

The unpaid leave was granted by the town’s General Committee on March 29.

Smith will also take an unpaid leave from his duties with the District of Muskoka. As mayor, he is part of district council. His unpaid leave was approved at the district’s council meeting on April 18.

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In his place at the district council table, Maloney will take over Smith’s seat on the district’s Finance and Corporate Services Committee while Councillor Steven Clement will be appointed as the temporary deputy chair. 

“I don’t want to make a commitment to try and do both during such a busy time,” he told council. “It would be unfair to both sides of the equation.”

The provincial election is set for June 2 and the campaign period will begin a minimum of 28 days before, according to Town of Bracebridge staff. 

If elected, Bracebridge council will declare the mayor’s seat vacant, but would not need to name a replacement if it’s vacated within three months of the municipal election on October 24. Smith will step down as mayor. A new mayor may or may not be appointed by council because of the municipal election in October. If one isn’t appointed, Maloney would continue in his role until the election.

If Smith isn’t successful, he will retain his seat as mayor. Town staff say he will be able to take mayoral duties back from Maloney once the election results are certified.

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