Scugog elects Ian McDougall as new mayor

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard

SCUGOG: A former regional councillor will return to Scugog Township’s municipal council as mayor after Ian McDougall secured the top job in Monday’s municipal election, defeating incumbent Wilma Wotten and four other candidates.

Mayor McDougall received 3,326 votes, finishing ahead of Mike Coll, who garnered 1,971, and Ms. Wotten, who received 1,673. Jack Doak collected 1,044 votes, while David Whitfield received 369, and Charles Deane rounded out the field with 67 votes cast.

Voter turnout in Scugog was 41.3 percent.

McDougall brings previous municipal experience to the mayor’s chair, having served as Scugog’s Regional Councillor before being elected Ward 1 councillor in 2018.

Ms. Wotten’s defeat marks a change in leadership at the township, with voters choosing Mr. McDougall from a six-candidate field.

In the race for regional councillor, Patricia Conlin emerged victorious with 2,515 votes, narrowly ahead of Allan Honey, who received 2,304. Terry Coyne finished with 2,191 votes, while Richard Park collected 1,107.

Mr. Coyne previously served as a Scugog ward councillor, while Ms. Conlin has also sought elected office, having run as a People's Party of Canada candidate in a federal election.

The five ward councillor races also produced a new council lineup.

In Ward 1, incumbent David Le Roy won with 1,158 votes, defeating Scott Blachar, who received 294.

Alisa Cole captured Ward 2 with 1,294 votes, comfortably ahead of Richard Hinton, who received 349.

Ward 3 proved the closest contest of the five ward races. Rosario Greco was elected with 383 votes, finishing just 27 votes ahead of Sean Taylor, who received 356. Don Kett finished with 172.

Brad Martyn won Ward 4 with 1,192 votes, defeating Harold Wright, who received 568.

In Ward 5, longtime councillor Janna Guido secured the seat with 1,231 votes. Stephen Kotyck finished second with 828, while Marion Meyers received 427.

Meanwhile, two Durham District School Board trustee positions representing North Durham, including Scugog, Brock, and Uxbridge, were decided in a four-candidate race.

Former Uxbridge Secondary School educator Dave Brown topped the field with 8,412 votes, followed by Paul Breeze with 6,944. Both were elected. James Bountrogiannis received 5,510 votes, while Netalia Duboisky collected 3,841.