Editorial Yorkton This Week It was Jan. 7, when Yorkton This Week first reported Saltcoats Mayor, and then president of the Municipalities of Saskatchewan Gordon Barnhart was in Hawaii. That might not sound like such a big deal coming after the holiday season, but of course we are in the midst of a worldwide pandemic and international travel is simply frowned upon. article continues below In fact, prior to the discovery of Barnhart s trip, Joe Hargrave, MLA for Prince Albert Carlton, had resigned as Saskatchewan Highways Minister after making a trip to Palm Springs, California in late December landed him in a public storm given the general public has been urged to stay home to control the spread of COVID-19.
Hayward defeated incumbent Gordon Barnhart, the mayor of Saltcoats and a former lieutenant-governor, 351 to 115. Rennie Harper, Nipawin’s mayor, will serve as the new vice-president of towns. Barnhart, who campaigned from Hawaii, came under fire recently for his comments on amalgamation and for travelling despite the pandemic – which Hayward said partly led him to mount a campaign. Barnhart said he wasn’t surprised at the results on the afternoon of Feb. 8, adding that he felt a bit of relief. He said he plans to focus on his duties as mayor of Saltcoats and still predicts big changes are on the way for municipal governance.
Hayward is currently the mayor of Naicam and previously served as vice-president of towns. On Twitter, Premier Scott Moe stated: “Congratulations to Rodger Hayward on his election as President. I would like to thank Gordon Barnhart for his time as President.” “It is an honour to be elected Municipalities of Saskatchewan President,” said Hayward. “I look forward to continuing to work with Municipalities of Saskatchewan’s Board of Directors as President, and our member municipalities, to ensure our hometowns have the resources we need. We are stronger when we work together.” Hayward has served as Municipalities of Saskatchewan’s Vice-President of Towns since 2012. He was first elected to the Board of Directors in 2010 as Northeast Regional Director. Hayward has represented the community of Naicam since 1996, and has served six terms as mayor.
Naicam Mayor Rodger Hayward has been given another title.
Hayward was elected president of the Municipalities of Saskatchewan (MOS) on Monday, defeating incumbent Gordon Barnhart during a virtual election.
Barnhart, the mayor of Saltcoats, had been under fire recently for travelling to Hawaii during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is an honour to be elected Municipalities of Saskatchewan president,” Hayward said in a media release. “I look forward to continuing to work with Municipalities of Saskatchewan’s Board of Directors as president, and our member municipalities, to ensure our hometowns have the resources we need. We are stronger when we work together.”