ICYMI: Ayton reappointed to Stratfords of the World committee

Editor's Note: This story was previously posted on StratfordToday.ca.

As far as sticky situations go, this one could give Elmer’s Glue a run for its money.

Stratford city council made the decision to welcome Joan Ayton back to the Stratfords of the World (SOTW) committee at the regular council meeting December 16, reversing a decision they made earlier this year to end her term.

The decision came following a staff report to council outlining two options to reinstate Ayton on the committee: either extend her term through to November 14, 2026 or extend it through to January 31, 2025, to allow her to travel to New Zealand for the reunion next month. Council opted for the two-year extension for Ayton, but the other volunteer who was not extended when council made this decision twice this year, Susan Kummer, elected not to re-apply for the second position that remained open.

For her part, Ayton was happy to be welcomed back on the extended term but did say there are some hurt feelings as a result of the protracted nature of this experience.

“Following what happened earlier this year when I was removed from the committee, I wrote to all of the councillors and I was very angry that they used the three-term clause,” she said. “I totally understand the purpose of the clause, but having just voted in everybody else on all the other committees, I felt it was obvious they were picking on me. I absolutely think it had to do with the respectful workplace policy incident from before.”

Speaking after Monday’s council meeting, Coun. Cody Sebben felt it was positive that Ayton was returned to the committee but was clearly frustrated that it took her reapplying three times to get to this decision.

“It’s frustrating for me to see someone who had been willing to put their name up twice before (Kummer) but not a third time because she’d had enough,” he said. “I can’t speak to what is going to happen in the future (with volunteers for the city), but I think it was a positive outcome tonight that she was reappointed.” 

Ayton found it hard to believe so many on council voted against her reappointment twice before but then were ‘her best friend’ this past Monday night. Prior to the December 16 meeting, Ayton said she had talked with Mayor Martin Ritsma and he had reassured her that ‘everything was going to be okay’, but she made it known that she had no intention of going to the New Zealand reunion and telling them all what a wonder city she came from if she hadn’t been reappointed.

“I would’ve had someone else on the committee stand up and say what’s necessary to say,” she said. “This will be my last term on the committee – I had planned on handing in my resignation when I get back from New Zealand, but I’m not going to do that.”

The reunion in New Zealand runs from January 8-15, 2025.