Rinaldo resigns from city council

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City council’s loss will be the Timmins Economic Development Corporation’s gain.

Ward 5 Coun. Noella Rinaldo announced at the start of the public portion of Tuesday’s meeting she will be resigning her seat at the table effective Sept. 8 to become the director of community development with the TEDC.

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Rinaldo resigns from city council Back to video

“Because this is a city position, I will be stepping down,” she said.

“I look forward to taking my skills as an entrepreneur through my work at the (Downtown Timmins) BIA and my 10 years on council to a position that will encompass all of the experience I have collected in my life.”

Rinaldo was first elected to city council as a representative of Ward 3, but she is currently serving her second term as one of Ward 5’s four representatives.

“I want to thank the people of Timmins for allowing me the honour of serving them as a councillor,” she said.

“It has been a privilege to represent the citizens of Timmins and I look forward to continuing to serve and better the city in my new position.

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“I have had the pleasure to serve beside councillors who are passionate and hard working. I have had the privilege to work with three mayors who all embraced the same responsibility to do their best for the whole of the city.”

Rinaldo had a message for fellow Ward 5 representatives Kristin Murray and Michelle Boileau, as well as others who may follow them to the council table in the future.

“I leave a legacy of being the longest serving female on council and I look forward to the day when that legacy has been broken many times,” she said.

“I leave with proud accomplishments, both at council and a variety of projects, committees and boards.

“I know I always did my best and I did so with passion and the best intentions.

“It has been an honour.”

Filling in for an ailing George Pirie, Deputy Mayor Andrew Marks —one of Ward 5’s other three representatives — said, “We have sat here together and we have sat on the (Downtown Timmins) BIA board together, and I can speak to your hard work and dedication.

“It is an honour to be called your friend and an honour to call you a peer.

“I am so happy the TEDC is going to benefit from your skills, as director of community economic development.”

Ward 4 Coun. John Curley echoed the sentiments expressed by the deputy mayor.

“First off, I am glad you are still staying in the community,” he said.

“I want to thank you for all the years of dedication you have put in, even prior to your being elected to council.

“You have always worked on committees, trying to make the city a better place. We are all better for your involvement and I thank you for all the years you put in.”

Rinaldo’s resignation from council and her new position with the TEDC had been the subject of an in-camera session — to discuss a personnel matter about an “identifiable individual” — prior to the start of the public portion of Tuesday’s meeting.

With the need to replace Rinaldo, Marks asked City Clerk Steph Palmateer to prepare a report “detailing the options on how council is to proceed to fill the vacancy.”

That report is to be presented at the next city council meeting, scheduled for Sept. 8.