Half of Sherwood Council Resigns Unexpectedly, Including Reeve
The Rural Municipality of Sherwood, which surrounds Regina, has confirmed that half of its sitting councillors and its reeve stepped down suddenly from their positions as of last week.
Four of seven elected council members have resigned "effective immediately," according to a letter from Sherwood's administration posted online on March 18.
"The R.M. acknowledges and respects their decision and extends appreciation for their contributions to the municipality and its residents," the letter reads.
Which Councillors Departed?
Though administration did not name which councillors departed, Reeve Susan Oakley-Paul, Division 2 Coun. Trent Reiger, Division 3 Coun. John Wilke and Division 6 Coun. Grant Paul have since been removed from Sherwood's online directory.
Administration's letter describes the exits as "unexpected," but does not cite any specifics about the resignations, including why or when they occurred.
Wilke confirmed to the Regina Leader-Post on Monday that his decision to resign was voluntary, as were the decisions of the other two division councillors.
"I spoke to most of my ratepayers that voted for me, and they agreed that it was a decision that was mine to make," said Wilke, who declined to provide further details.
Remaining Council Members Decline Comment
Also reached on Monday, remaining councillors Chris Reynolds and Rod Culbert declined to comment. Former councillor Grant Paul also declined to comment.
Sherwood's chief administrative officer, Brad Wiebe, along with Coun. Kevin Chekay, Oakley-Paul and Reiger did not respond to requests for comment in time for publication.
Recent Controversies and Governance Implications
The R.M. has been in the news as of late due to a proposed $1.7-billion artificial intelligence data centre which Bell Canada is looking to build within Sherwood's jurisdiction.
On March 16, Sherwood's council held a special closed-session meeting to discuss a report on Code of Ethics complaints. Minutes from the session are not yet posted, nor is the report publicly available.
With the four resignations, Sherwood's council no longer has quorum to conduct any meetings to address regular business. Administration has advised that the vacancies will be filled during the next general election in November.
In the meantime, per The Municipalities Act, the Minister of Government Relations will appoint "one or more persons to act as members of council" to meet quorum requirements until the fall.
"Administration will continue to work closely with council to maintain stable governance and ensure that municipal services operate smoothly and without disruption," reads the letter.
