Stone retires from Harbour Grace council
By Olivia Bradbury, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Gordon Stone resigned from Harbour Grace council April 10 bringing to conclusion a decade and a half of municipal service.
Council acknowledged and thanked Stone for his contribution during its April 13th public meeting.
Stone was elected to his third term on Harbour Grace council last October. He previously served five years as a councillor and mayor on the former Harbour Grace South community council.
“While we fully respect his decision to step down, his absence will certainly be felt around this table and throughout our community,” said Deputy Mayor Gary Baker. “He brought with him a depth of knowledge, experience, and a genuine commitment to the people of Harbour Grace that won’t be easily replaced.”
Baker thanked Stone for the guidance, support, and mentorship he gave him as a new member of council.
Stone wasn’t at the April 13 meeting but was available for comment afterwards.
“In terms of the people of Harbour Grace, they have been exceptional – very gracious, very supporting, and very understanding of the challenge of trying to do good work with a limited amount of funds,” said Stone. “They have been nothing only wonderful.”
Stone praised his now former colleagues in the Town Hall and chamber.
“To my colleagues on council, we have another excellent team set there for Harbour Grace right now. Everybody is working together, and there’s no conflict, and I am proud of them all and I would love to work with them all,” he said. “We have a wonderful set of employees in Harbour Grace. They work hard every day, and they do their best to promote the town, so I’m proud of all of that group… There is no conflict in my leaving. It’s a case of time. My wife and I have a number of responsibilities, and we find it difficult to be able to meet everything. And with the new municipality Act coming in, there’s going to be a really big demand on our councillors’ time. You’ve got new ways of doing the budget figures, you’ve got a need for a whole new set of by-laws, procedures and policies that need to be developed. An emergency plan has to be done and everything’s on a deadline.”
Stone said many areas in town need water and sewer services, as well as road improvements.
“There’s limited funds and people have to work a lot to try to find ways and means of bringing that about because we all want to see our town grow and for everyone to have modern water, sewer, and infrastructure,” he said.
Stone said he has enjoyed being a volunteer since he was 20 years old but now, at 73, no longer has the same energy.
“The truth of the matter is I’m getting a little bit weary in terms of the effort that’s required,” he said. “And since I can’t put the effort in that’s needed, it’s better that I leave and hopefully some energetic person will come in behind me and great things will continue for Harbour Grace, the town that I have nothing only the greatest love for.
The town will hold a by-election on June 23 to fill Stone’s seat on council. Nomination day is May 27.
