Getting to know Brad Henderson, New Mayor of Saint Andrews

In this week's episode of "Your Town Matters", Brad Henderson, newly elected mayor of St. Andrews joins Vicki Hogarth to discuss the council's transition into the upcoming term and provide insight on what to expect in the following summer season. 

As the former Deputy Mayor in St. Andrews, Henderson will be fulfilling this position with five years of experience of siding authority whilst heavily involved with the prevalent issues in town. The electee for Deputy Mayor is said to be announced the week of June 7 once election results have been confirmed along with the duration to which the Deputy Mayor will be serving. With COVID-19 and a "lot of unknowns", Henderson states that the voting system for the election of the Deputy Mayor will not resort to traditional methods of a community vote, rather it will rely on a council vote to ensure that the candidate is the best match for the role and that the official dates for the position align with the flexibility of current times. 

Reflecting on the past 5 years of his involvement with council, Henderson emphasizes the importance of clear communication and collaborative goals. "I don't think we ever united our vision," says Henderson, "There are times where we felt like we might have been all over the place and our workload was heavy". Moving forward with four new council members and two returning, Henderson wishes to commence the council orientation with a strong, collaborative foundation to which joint decisions and opportunities may arise. 

When it comes to the most anticipated projects initiated by the council, Henderson sheds light on the opportunity for growth in the residential, economic and tourism sectors that put St. Andrews on the map. "No one is going to come to St.Andrews and fix these problems for us," says Henderson, "we need a municipality that is going to find these solutions." Despite major challenges such as the housing crises and constant concern for COVID-19, Henderson remains optimistic in the St.Andrews community, "We've never had a better opportunity to grow."