by Brent Eades
Amanda Pulker-Mok didn’t expect to emerge the winner from last Tuesday’s open vote to fill the Council seat left vacant by the death of Bernard Cameron.
“I would have been quite happy to get one vote,” she said in an interview today.
Instead she won out over a field of 12 candidates, including three former members of Council. Mayor Shaun McLaughlin said, “She impressed us with her confident manner, her education, and her fresh ideas.”
Born and raised in Newmarket, Ontario, Amanda moved to this region three years ago after her husband accepted a job in Stittsville. They lived for a year in Kanata, but didn’t feel it was where they wanted to raise a family — they have two sons, the oldest two years and youngest only two weeks. Amanda is currently staying home to raise her children.
Before starting her family Amanda obtained a degree in Business and Cultural Studies from Trent University and then worked for almost a decade as a cancer-screening coordinator at Stronach Regional Cancer Centre in Newmarket. She also completed a degree in Education. Since 2014 she has served as the Mississippi Mills rep on the Carleton Place hospital board of directors.
Amanda and her husband chose Almonte as their home after an invitation to attend a concert at the Old Town Hall from a high-school friend who had moved here earlier. The friend showed them around town, and they fell in love with it. Two years ago they moved into their home on Ann Street. “Almonte is where we wanted to raise our family,” she said.
In the days since her appointment to Council Amanda has been spending a lot of time with a thick orientation binder and has had an initial meeting with Town Clerk Shawna Stone. She also has meetings upcoming with various department heads.
She has found her Council colleagues to be supportive. “All of the Councillors have a very open-door policy, if I have any questions or need clarification on anything. Everyone seems very willing to help.”
Asked about her policy priorities during her term on Council, Amanda said, “It’s early on still, but I’m really interested to see how the transportation piece comes into play… it will also depend on what committees I end up serving on.” She added, “Two that I’m interested in are the Library and Daycare committees, which are fitting for the stage of life I’m in.”
The Millstone congratulates Councillor Pulker-Mok on her win and wishes her a most successful term.
