It was a historical moment when members of Grande Prairie city council got back to work on Monday, as Jackie Clayton became the first woman to ever be sworn in as elected mayor.
Clayton says she is thrilled to be able to continue to serve the city in the role she held on an interim basis since January 2021.
Joined by incumbents Dylan Bressey, Kevin O’Toole, and Chris Thiessen, as well as newcomers Grant Berg, Gladys Blackmore, Wendy Bosch, John Lehners, and Michael O’Connor, Clayton thanked those who supported and guided her through the first eight years on council.
“I want to recognize the many women who have served the city, prior to myself. Especially councillor Helen Rice, she is with us in our thoughts today.”
Clayton says there are still important lessons to take away from the election for her and council members.
“I also wanted to recognize that now that the election is over and most of the signs are put away, it’s a time for us to learn from each other.”
Clayton believes council members need to have the right attitude to serve the city for the next four years and to work as a team to accomplish their goals, not just the goals discussed on the campaign trail.
“There were conversations where you spoke with people that were like-minded and spoke to people about priorities that were important to you,” she says.
“I want to remind us all to be kind, to be gracious, and to be genuine.”
The first scheduled city council meeting is set for November 29th.