CORNWALL, P.E.I. — Coun. Peter Meggs' reasoning behind his last-minute resignation got a good laugh out of his fellow councillors.
"My wife and I are actually moving back to Ontario in a week's time," he said. "Believe it or not, we're moving to Cornwall."
Just before the laughter, there was a bit of surprise. Meggs has been an active councillor for about 13 years spread across four terms, and in just less than a week he'll suddenly be on his way out.
He decided to save the announcement until Cornwall's regular council meeting at the town's hall on Jan. 20, mainly in case his new home in the other Cornwall fell through.
The reason for the move is due to family. Originally from Ontario, the 70-year-old and his wife, Linda, have been living in P.E.I. for about 25 years, but they now have a granddaughter back home.
"So I guess I just want to thank everybody for an interesting 13 years on council," he said. "The people around here, you know, it's going to be tough to leave for sure."
In Meggs' early years on council he chaired the town's planning board. So, much of Cornwall's development over the years are among his highlights, such as the recent active transportation lane along Main Street, the Terry Fox Sports Complex and the town hall.
He and Mayor Minerva McCourt played a large role in getting the town hall constructed in 2006, before which council would use office space in the local curling club. This was a controversial decision among residents at the time for how expensive it was, Meggs said.
Another big highlight for him was all that being a municipal councillor allowed him to learn, he said.
"Every time I come to one of these meetings I learn something new."
Many councillors and staff members expressed how they'd miss Meggs, noting his advocacy of affordable housing as well as his big appetite. Coun. Corey Frizzell thanked him for the knowledgeable perspective he brought to meetings.
"We don't always agree, but you have a great way of disagreeing," he said, laughing.
McCourt said she was sad to hear that her long-time friend would be moving away as they had fought "a lot of wars together".
"(But) you always, always stood for the people," she said of Meggs. "You were always an elected official."
AT A GLANCE:
- Coun. Peter Meggs' resignation takes effect on Jan. 27, meaning Cornwall will be holding a byelection sometime within six months.
- Cornwall is an open ward system, meaning all elected councillors represent the entire municipality.
Daniel Brown is a local journalism initiative reporter, a position funded by the federal government.
