A tearful Minden Hills deputy mayor Lisa Schell thanked the community for its trust in allowing her to serve on council for 20 years, as she attended her final council meeting Oct. 8.
Schell said it had been hard finding the words she would say at her municipal curtain closer.
“After 20 years around this table, it is difficult to put into words what this place and this community has meant to me. When I first sat in this chair in 2006, I never imagined the journey that would follow. Twenty years is a long time.”
She said she had watched the community “change, grow, face challenges, celebrate successes, and often come together when we needed each other most.”
Schell added she had learned a great deal during her years on council.
“That municipal government isn’t just about roads, budgets, bylaws, and policies. At its heart, it’s about people and community. It is about the residents who take the time to call because they’re worried about something in their neighbourhood. It’s about the business owner trying to make a living. It’s about our volunteers, our firefighters, our community organizations, our seniors, our young people, and our families. And most of all, it is about caring deeply about the place we call home.”
The deputy mayor and County councillor added there had been difficult meetings over the year, as well as disagreements, “but I’ve always believed that we were all here for the same reason; because we love Minden Hills and we want what’s best for the people who live here, including ourselves.”
She said she has always held firm to the belief, “I can disagree at this council table, but then go to lunch with any of my fellow councillors.”
She said it was not an easy decision to walk away from something that has been a huge part of her life the past two decades. She described it as “bittersweet. But sometimes life reminds us we have to listen to ourselves; take care of ourselves and know when it is time for the next chapter. “Thank you to my fellow councillors past and present.
Thank you to the incredible staff who work behind the scenes every day to keep this municipality moving forward and running smoothly. I want to thank the residents who have trusted me with their voices and their community. I leave knowing Minden Hills is in good hands, and with an enormous amount of pride in having played a small part in that. I will miss this table. I will miss the debates, the laughter, the frustrations, the friendships, and even the long meetings. But, I will carry these memories with me for the rest of my life.”
She added she is leaving “with a heavy heart, tremendous gratitude, and absolutely no regrets except for the splash pad that I have wanted since 2008. And the snack bar at the new arena. And the heat.”
Mayor Bob Carter said Schell had shown “exemplary service and been a tremendous help to all of those councils.”
He said he had served with her on two of them, and, “we all owe you a deep amount of gratitude. I, especially, in helping me as the deputy mayor over this last term. On behalf of council and staff and our community, we can’t thank you enough for your dedication and your service.”
