UPDATE: Gary Clark Seeks Second Term As Quispamsis Mayor

The mayor of Quispamsis is back on the ballot as he seeks a second term in office in the upcoming municipal election.

Gary Clark said the past five years have been a great learning experience for him and he is excited to keep going.

“We’ve accomplished a great deal in the town. We’ve done a lot of road work, municipal water [upgrades],” Clark said in a phone interview.

“I’m anxious and I’m excited and I’ve got the energy and the time to put forward for another four years.”

Clark has been outspoken in recent weeks over the council’s decision to increase salaries for the incoming mayor and council.

Under the changes, which received final approval Tuesday, the mayor’s salary will climb to $51,750 from $40,342, an increase of more than 28 per cent.

The deputy mayor will see their salary rise by 15 per cent (or $3,174) to $24,606 while councillors will get a 19 per cent boost (or $3,380) to $21,489.

Clark said now is not the time to increase the salaries of council members when many residents are struggling to make ends meet due to COVID-19.

“Cost of living, we could look at, but 28 per cent was certainly not an appetite for me,” said Clark, who did not have a vote as mayor.

“What I will be doing if elected on May 10th is that after the taxes are taken out of the difference, I will be donating the full amount of the difference to the KV Food Bank.”

If re-elected, Clark said some of his major priorities for the town would include more road work and municipal water upgrades.

He also wants to work with the provincial government on equalization to ensure all municipalities are paying their fair share.

Clark faced controversy in 2019 after an internal investigation by the deputy mayor and one councillor found Clark “misidentified himself” to gain entry to the qplex pool.

The investigation revealed that Clark had purchased a $180 family membership to the pool on May 22, using his name and address, to be activated when the pool opened for the season.

At the time, Deputy Mayor Libby O’Hara said the voucher was redeemed by another person, who was found to live in Rothesay. Memberships are available only to residents of Quispamsis.

O’Hara said on July 18, 2019, Clark entered the pool using an “assumed name,” noting he identified himself as one of four people listed on the family membership.

Clark admitted to the allegations in a written response, according to the deputy mayor. Councillors deemed he breached their code of conduct and he was suspended for five weeks in October 2019.

When asked if he thought the matter might impact his chances in the election, Clark said he is ready to put the matter behind him and move the town forward.

“Everyone makes mistakes,” he said. “I owned up to that mistake and took ownership of it. Was I happy with the way it was handled internally? No. However, we have to move forward.”

Clark will run against Libby O’Hara, the town’s current deputy mayor, when voters head to the polls on May 10.