The Ward 3 councillor for the Town of Essex has resigned from his position.
At a council meeting Tuesday night, Mayor Rom McDermott announced that Bill Caixeiro is leaving council for personal reasons. No further details about his reasons for resigning have been released at this time, however, McDermott says the family requested privacy for at least two weeks.
Caixeiro served on council during the 2003-2006 term and returned for a second term in 2014.
“Bill has been a remarkable, hard-working councillor,” says McDermott, adding that he and members of council are deeply saddened by the news. “He gives an enthusiastic 100% to everything he does and continually looks for ways to improve our community. We are certainly going to miss him on council, but we also want him to know that we support his decision and wish him the very best.”
Council officially declared the seat vacant at Tuesday night's meeting and requested that administration come back with a report about council's options at the next meeting on July 17, 2017. Council can either appoint someone or hold a by-election. McDermott told reporters he favours appointing someone based on the 2014 election results.
Caixeiro also serves as the chair of the Essex Police Services Board and the Personnel Committee, vice-chair of the Finance Committee and the Harbour Steering Committee, and a member of the Arts, Culture and Tourism Committee and the Communities in Bloom Committee.
-With files from Maureen Revait