By Mark Squibb/September 30, 2021
The wheels of change blew as firmly as fall hurricanes Tuesday in both Witless Bay and Bay Bulls, as residents in both communities voted out all previous members of their respective councils for entirely new slates of people.
The Town of Bay Bulls announced the week prior that only five candidates, and not the usual seven would be elected to council. The council has been operating as a complement of five for some time now, with ministerial approval.
The decision to not elect a full slate cost former mayor Harold Mullowney, who had been a member of council for the past two decades, and former councillor Eric Maloney their seats.
Both men placed sixth and seventh respectively. Mullowney collected 243 votes, while Maloney got 164.
Newly elected members in Bay Bulls, in order of votes from highest to lowest, are Keith O’Driscoll (402), Jason O’Brien (369), Neil O’Brien (359), Jason Sullivan (302), and Shannon O’Driscoll (264).
Former members Wendy O’Driscol l(147), Patrick Coady (135), and Joan Luby (128) were defeated.
Meanwhile, Residents in Witless Bay were left on tether hooks for most of the night as the hours ticked by with nary a word from town hall.
Witless Bay didn’t release its results until 3 a.m. Wednesday morning, hours after much larger communities including St. Johns, Mount Pearl, Paradise, and Conception Bay South had released their numbers.
All incumbent councillors who put their names forward for re-election, including Dale O’Driscoll (267), Vince Swain (187), David Ryan (186), and Fraser Paul (162) were defeated.
Former members of council who did not run for re-election include former mayor Derm Moran, former deputy mayor Maureen Murphy, and Colleen Hanrahan.
Elected to council in order of votes from greatest to least were Trevor Croft (520), Jacob Hayden (508), Nancy Burke (468), Alex Troake (449), Gerard Dunne (394), Lorna Yard (364) and Ralph Carey (323).
