The City of St. Thomas’ New 2022-2026 Council Sworn in at Inaugural Meeting
Posted on 11/22/2022










At City Hall on the evening of November 21, Council members of the 2022-2026 City of St. Thomas term of Council swore their oaths of office at the official inaugural meeting. Stephanie Brown led the singing of O Canada, while Pastor Jeremy Best presented a Charge to the Council.  

Mayor Joe Preston delivered his inaugural address to the crowd which included the members of Council, their families, City staff, and the public. The speech outlined the main objectives and community priorities that Council will focus on over the next four years, highlighting Council’s focus on exceptional and smart growth, supportive and market rent housing, and employment.  

Mayor Preston also took the time to acknowledge and celebrate the efforts and successes of the previous term of Council including the work of Joan Rymal and Mark Burgess; both of whom did not seek re-election, as well as Councillors Linda Stevenson and Mark Tinlin, who sadly passed away during the 2018-2022 Council term. 

The new Council was hailed as the “dream-team” in the mayor’s address. “Each member, whether new or returning, brings to the table many ideas about how to progress our community. I look forward to continuing our efforts and working together to craft a common vision of Council’s priorities looking forward through the next four years. We will continue to grow as a community and create new opportunities – for employment, attainable housing, business, tourism, transportation, and more. There will be differences and challenges along the way, but I am confident our group will adapt and learn as we work for our community. Together, we will continue to build a thriving, safe, and compassionate city for all residents,” said Mayor Joe Preston. 

Councillors representing constituents for the first time this term include Councillor Rose Gibson and Councillor Tara McCaulley. Returning members are Councillor Steve Peters, Councillor Steve Wookey, Councillor Jeff Kohler, Councillor Lori Baldwin-Sands, Councillor Gary Clarke, Councillor Jim Herbert, and Mayor Joe Preston.

St. Thomas City Council will hit the ground running when they come together for their next meeting on Monday, December 5th. Councillors will be appointed to Committees of Council at this time. 



Quick Facts: 

City Council is currently scheduled to meet on the first three Mondays of the month at 5:00pm, except in July and August where Council meets once. To stay informed about Council, including meeting dates, agendas, and minutes, please visit the City’s website. The public gallery is open to the public during meetings and is located on the fourth floor of St. Thomas City Hall. Video recordings of Council are posted to the City’s YouTube page the day following a meeting.  


PDF Media Release Here