Veterans vie for Harbour Grace seat

By Mark Squibb/December 2, 2022

Next week’s by-election to fill a single seat on Harbour Grace council has attracted four former members seeking a return to the chamber.

Terry Barnes, Kathy Tetford, Sonia Williams, and Kevin Williams are all hoping to sit at the council table once again, but only one of them will be elected to fill the seat vacated by former councillor Sharon Reynolds, who left council after accepting a managerial position at the Danny Cleary Community Centre.

Kevin Williams sat out last year’s municipal election, while the other three candidates ran for the mayor’s chair losing out to incumbent Don Coombs.

Coombs secured 613 votes in total, while Terry Barnes, who served as deputy mayor from 2013 to 2016 and mayor from 2017 to 2020, claimed a close second place with 432 votes.

Barnes, who calls himself a young 57, said he is glad to throw his name into the running again.

“I’m a fellow that wants to see this town move ahead,” said Barnes. “I’ve very outspoken. If it means that I’ve got to go into government and rattle cages and knock on doors and keep hounding them to make this town a better place than what it is today, indeed I will.”

Barnes, who, is involved in various aspects of the fisheries, said the Town’s biggest challenge revolves around keeping the wharf commerce strong.

“We have Harbour Grace Ocean Enterprises (HGOE) there, the big shipbuilder,” said Barnes. “They would like to expand, but without our harbour being dredged, it has a big impact on their expansion, the same as with Harbour Grace Cold Storage. With the boats getting bigger, some of the boats can’t come in anymore. There was a brand new one built last year that couldn’t get into Harbour Grace because she hits the sandbar. So, the biggest challenge I see for the Town of Harbour Grace today is that sandbar. Somehow, we have to come up with the financing to get that dredged, because if not, we stand to lose Cold Storage, because like I said, the boats are getting bigger.”

As to his assessment of how the current council is doing, Barnes said the first year is usually a learning process, so he couldn’t comment much until they get another year under their belts.

“Hopefully they’re doing it for the right reasons, and for the betterment of the Town of Harbour Grace,” said Barnes. “

Tetford, who described herself as a young 62, served as deputy mayor for a term, and councillor for three terms — 16 years at the council table all told.

She’s semi-retired now, helping her daughter run Best Kind Boutique and still volunteering with many community groups, such as the Board of Culture, Innovation, and Business and the Regatta committee, amongst others.

“Last year I ran for mayor, but the standing mayor was re-elected, so I lost my seat,” said Tetford. “And it’s been over a year, and I’ve enjoyed stepping back. I’ve got more time for myself, I’m exercising more, I feel better because I’ve lost a few pounds, and got more time for myself … but, I, do miss being in the chambers.”

After discussing it with her family, Tetford said, she decided to put her name in the race once again.

She said she hasn’t tuned into every meeting since losing last year’s election, but she has noticed several of the councillors seem to be busy out and about in the community.

Like Barnes, she said the first year is typically a learning experience, a time for councillors to find their feet.

She said the biggest challenge facing the town is the need to rebuild Water Street’s business core to attract more businesses.

“My daughter is the only one open here on Water Street right now with that kind of store,” said Tetford. “So, the traffic is down. There’s not a big lot of traffic flowing threw Water Street.”

She said council ought to highlight the town for potential businesses to help draw people in.

“There’s money to be made if you can bring people in,” said Tetford. “So, we really have to push our tourism and our heritage and our history, and in doing that we have to bring some businesses in.”

She also noted the town is in desperate need of another grocery store.

“I’ve always been involved with the Town of Harbour Grace,” said Tetford. “I’ve always given 100 percent when I could give it. I love the Town of Harbour Grace, and I wouldn’t move out of Harbour Grace for love nor money. I will work hard, and I always have worked hard, to get people what people are asking for.”

Sonia Williams, meanwhile, is also no stranger to the Harbour Grace council chambers.

Williams, when asked about her work, joked that she was a volunteer, and when asked her age, laughed and said she was still in her 50’s.

Williams served two terms as deputy mayor, from 2013 until 2020, and has remained active in the community.

“I’m doing volunteer week for probably 30 or 40 years and still haven’t stopped,” said Williams. “And recently I’ve applied for two JCP grants for the town, one at St. Paul’s Church and one at the marina on the Southside. So, those are government grants that are sitting there, and if somebody doesn’t apply for them, we don’t get them

The grants offer temporary employment for 12 people.

“I’ve got a lot to offer the town,” said Williams. “And I want to get involved at the council level once again… I’ve always been a good volunteer in this town. I fight for the people, and what they want… I didn’t hide away for the past 12 moths after the last election. I kept doing what I could for the town.”

When asked about the current state of council, she said that, like any council, not everyone is going to agree on every issue.

“You can only wish that you have people there who are going to put in hard work and give it an honest effort,” said Williams.

She said she would work to bring young families back to Harbour Grace.

“You have to have the young families,” said Williams. “And more young families is good for the tax base.”

She also wants to attract visitors.

“We have a very rich history in the Town of Harbour Grace, and for the last few years, we’ve been working on getting that out there and bringing people in,” said Williams. “And that’s been happening the last eight to 10 years. Things are starting to develop and people are getting interested in coming in.”

She added that dredging the harbour is also a number one priority.

The Shoreline reached out to candidate Kevin Williams, but he declined an interview. Williams, who has also served on council before, said he preferred not to say anything that may hurt him, or another candidate, as it is a close election.