There was pomp, ceremony and celebration at Lambton County headquarters in Wyoming Wednesday morning with the election of the county's 157th warden.
By secret ballot vote, county council elected Lambton Shores Mayor Bill Weber to the two year post, defeating Sarnia City-County Councillor Bev MacDougall and Oil Springs Mayor Ian Veen.
"It's very humbling to be chosen by your peers to represent the county, to chair the meetings and be the face of the county locally, nationally and internationally," says Weber.
Weber plans to focus on economic development in 2017-2018.
"It's the tourism area," he says. "There's a lot of development that can happen in tourism. We have historic and natural beauty in our county and we need to promote that."
Weber has been the mayor of Lambton Shores for the past six years and served on Lambton Shores council for 16 years.
"I've been on council for a long time and this was the next logical step. I feel that Lambton Shores, in the north end of the county, has not had a representative for many years, so hopefully we can bring the county all together and work towards common interest for all area's of the county," he says.
Sarnia City-County Councillor Bev MacDougall passed the chain of office along to Weber.
"I am very happy to move aside for Warden Weber," says MacDougall. "I have enjoyed two years of leadership at the helm of Lambton County Council. I have enjoyed all of the projects I had the opportunity to work on and now, as has been a strong tradition in Lambton County, it's my time to move over. It's my time to support the incoming Warden and I will do just that."
Petrolia Mayor John McCharles defeated Sarnia City-County Councillor Andy Bruziewicz for the position of deputy warden.
He says he decided spur of the moment to seek the nomination.
"I talked to my wife last night and I said 'I'm not sure whether I'm going to run or whether I'm not.', she said, 'Well, you have to make up your mind pretty soon.', so, here I am," says McCharles.
McCharles says it will be a new experience, but he's committed to backing up the warden when needed.
Aamjiwnaang First Nation Chief Joanne Rogers chaired the warden's election.
Lambton County's new Warden Bill Weber is piped into County council chambers in Wyoming. #SLont pic.twitter.com/yl59grTSvk
— Melanie Irwin (@MIrwinCHOKNews) December 7, 2016
Lambton County's 157th Warden Bill Weber takes the oath of office. #SLont pic.twitter.com/b0lQ67at5n— Melanie Irwin (@MIrwinCHOKNews) December 7, 2016
Outgoing Warden Bev MacDougall and Deputy Warden Ian Veen pass the traditional tricorn hat onto newly elected Warden Bill Weber. #SLont pic.twitter.com/Be1yNm0Crz
— Melanie Irwin (@MIrwinCHOKNews) December 7, 2016
Sarnia City/County Councillor Bev MacDougall passes the Chain of Office to newly elected Lambton County Warden Bill Weber. #SLont pic.twitter.com/S6hBuxUVzQ— Melanie Irwin (@MIrwinCHOKNews) December 7, 2016