Ron Prefasi wins Temagami by-election

Gordon Brock

Speaker Editor

TEMAGAMI – Former Temagami reeve and councillor Ron Prefasi will be returning to this municipality’s council table as a result of Thursday’s (August 18) by-election.

In an unofficial tally, Mr. Prefasi defeated runner-up Paul Middleton by a 457 to 395 vote margin in a four-person race. The two other candidates’ vote totals saw Marvyn James Morrison with 53 votes and Annette Cloutier with 18 votes.

Mr. Prefasi, 67, was first elected a councillor in 1978, and in 1980 began 11 years as the township’s reeve. He lost a bid for re-election in 1991, and ran unsuccessfully in 1994 and ’97.

Temagami municipal clerk Elaine Gunnell told The Speaker the voter turnout was approximately 49 per cent.

This by-election was considered historic and unprecedented as records indicated no municipality in this region’s history dating back to the early 20th century had ever held a by-election.

The by-election was necessitated, as council could not agree on appointing someone to fill the vacancy caused when councillor and deputy mayor John Kenrick resigned in mid-March.

Mr. Prefasi will now sit on council until the end of the term in 2018. The next general Ontario municipal elections are scheduled for October 22 of that year.

With files from Speaker reporter Diane Johnston.