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Twenty-four applicants vying for single police board position

The Greater Sudbury police board is on the cusp of a potential transitionary period, with three of its five positions either expiring soon or having already timed out
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The city has received a collection of 24 applicants to fill one city council-appointed “citizen’s representative” position on the Greater Sudbury police board.

On Jan. 30, the city’s elected officials will vote on which one of the applicants will serve the five-member board for a term ending Nov. 14, 2026.

The following applicants are running against incumbent board member Frances Caldarelli: Eddie Astgen, Robert Barclay, Dana Carbone, Rita Crisafi-Mwimba, Amanda Denis, Harold Duff, Mary Lou Hussak, Robert Johnston, Joshua Lilley, Joshua Linklater-Wong, Gerry M. Lougheed Jr., Abdullah Masood, Colin McKerral, Cynthia Mellaney, Jhonel Morvan, Michelle Murray, Pooja Pabla, Karen Pappin, Andrew Slater, Russ Thompson, Thomas Trainor, Timothy W. Burtt and James Tregonning.

The inclusion of Gerry Lougheed Jr. is notable because he last sought the position in 2019, when he ran an unsuccessful bid against Caldarelli in a 10-candidate race.

It was a close vote in which Caldarelli and Lougheed found themselves tied. A subsequent vote had at least one elected official change their vote, resulting in Caldarelli winning. Failing that, it would have gone down to one of their two names being drawn from a hat at random.

Lougheed resigned as chair of the police board in 2015 when he was charged following an investigation by the OPP’s Anti-Rackets Branch in relation to an election bribery scandal. He was acquitted in 2017. 

Caldarelli’s term was originally slated to end on Nov. 14, 2022, but emailed correspondence through chairperson Al Sizer confirmed she continues to sit as a serving member.

The deadline to fill applications for the police board and various other positions was Jan. 8.

The Greater Sudbury Police Board is in a potential transition period, with three of its five positions either expiring in the near future or having already expired.

The board consists of two province-appointed positions, one city council-appointed “citizen’s representative” position and two city council members.

Lise Poratto-Mason and Richard Bois are the two provincially appointed members, Frances Caldarelli is the city council-appointed member, and Ward 8 Coun. Al Sizer and Mayor Paul Lefebvre are the city council members.

The two province-appointed positions will expire soon.

Lise Poratto-Mason’s term expires on Feb. 14, 2023, while Richard Bois’ term expires on March 1, or until such time as an appointment has been made by Order in Council

Poratto-Mason is a partner at Mason Poratto-Mason LLP and is a former associate counsel at Desmarais Mason. She has also served as a member, secretary and former chair for the Greater Sudbury Airport board. She was sworn in to the police board on Feb. 19, 2020, for a three-year term.

Bois is a former CAO for the Town of Walden-Regional Municipality of Sudbury, and is a former CAO and clerk for the Municipality of French River. He also served as chair for the Ojibway Road Campers Association and is a former committee member and interim chairman for the Greater Sudbury Source Water Protection Committee. His three-year term was announced in September 2019.

Caldarelli served as a past member of city council for 14 years and was appointed to the police board in January 2015 as a city council member. She has remained active on the board since that time, and has held the posts of chair and vice-chair on multiple occasions. She is a registered nurse by profession. She is currently on the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards as a director.

Sizer has served the board since June 9, 2020, and was elected as chair in January 2022.

Mayor Paul Lefebvre attended his first meeting as a city council member earlier this month, having been first elected to city council on Oct. 24, 2022. 

Earlier this month, Sizer was re-elected as chair and Caldarelli was re-elected as vice-chair. 

The Jan. 30 nominating committee will begin at 4 p.m. and can be viewed in-person at Tom Davies Square or online by clicking here.

Alongside the police board, city council members are selecting members for Conservation Sudbury, the Greater Sudbury Public Library board, Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury and Districts and various other organizations. A full list of applicants can be found by clicking here.

Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.