Read Original Article from Recorder.ca<\/a><\/p>\nThe municipality will miss Thake, Grunig said, but it has to get on with business.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn’t the best of circumstances, but somebody has to do it,\u201d Grunig said Monday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe’s been doing it for a long time and I guess we all knew that at some point, that some time, somebody else would have to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grunig has 15 years of experience on Westport’s council.<\/p>\n
Councillor Jackalyn Brady said his senior experience was a major factor in Grunig being chosen for the interim mayor’s position.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe assumed the mayor’s chair when Bill was very ill a number of years ago too,\u201d Brady said.<\/p>\n
Thake was mayor of Westport for 44 years when he died of a stroke on June 26.<\/p>\n
Council held a moment of silence for him on Monday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all recognized the vacant chair and what it meant and how it’s going to be different for the next little while, until we get used to it,\u201d Brady said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, we went on and had the regular council meeting, because that’s what Bill would want.\u201d<\/p>\n
Council discussed ways to have a proper memorial for Thake, Brady said.<\/p>\n
Nothing was decided Monday night, but councillors will return to the next meeting with some ideas of how to permanently commemorate Thake.<\/p>\n
With his new mayoral position, Grunig will sit on United Counties council with the mayors and reeves from other municipalities within Leeds-Grenville.<\/p>\n
He will begin those duties in August, because he’s missed some committee meetings held already this month.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s also out of respect for Bill,\u201d Grunig said of the August start date.<\/p>\n
As for Westport’s priorities moving into the future, Grunig said the village is currently focusing on the summer season.<\/p>\n
The summer is the busiest season for Westport, Grunig said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re monitoring the traffic on the Rideau Canal, because…our harbour is a big part of our summer here,\u201d Grunig said.<\/p>\n
Grunig will serve as interim mayor until the next municipal election in the fall of 2014.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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![\"Westport](\"https:\/\/www.communityexplore.com\/westportontario\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/dan-grunig-westport-300x300.jpg\")
Westport Ontario has a new mayor, long time councillor Dan Grunig. Grunig has been sworn-in as the interim mayor of the Village of Westport replacing Bill Thake.<\/p>\n