District Councillor Rick Maloney of Bracebridge will continue to serve as Deputy Mayor.
Amid the pomp and circumstance of last week’s Bracebridge Town Council oath ceremony, the fact that Rick Maloney had been selected to continue as Deputy Mayor to Graydon Smith was somewhat overlooked.
In Mayor Graydon Smith’s comments at Rene M. Caisse Theatre he pointed to the mentorship Maloney has offered in previous years.
“To councillor Maloney, you have been an exceptional Deputy Mayor for me and offering up guidance and assistance and often therapy on a regular basis. I am pleased to announce that you will continue in that role for the coming term and I thank you,” said Smith.
The news was received with a warm ovation.
For Maloney, who is in a new role this year as a District Councillor for Bracebridge, it was a touching tribute to the time the two have spent together on council.
“Certainly, it’s been my pleasure to serve as deputy mayor for the last two terms.,” says Maloney. “And now, as Mayor Smith has announced at the swearing-in, the chance to serve for a third term.”
He does not view it as a huge extra part of his duties, but rather something he is pleased to do.
“It’s an opportunity to provide some support to the Mayor,” Maloney says. “Being a mayor of a municipality is a job that is 24-7. If I have a chance to assist (Graydon) in any capacity it is something I am willing to do.”
He says their relationship has grown over the previous two terms.
“We have not just a great working relationship but also a very good friendship that’s developed over the last eight years,” says Maloney. “I think he is very confident that he can use me as a sounding board and I can provide some at times unfiltered advice to him and some feedback. It’s reciprocal. Graydon has been a great confidant of mine as well.”
“I’ll be leaning on him quite a bit too as I move into my new role as District Councillor. “