Mulmur Mayor elected as Dufferin County Warden

Written By PAULA BROWN

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Mulmur Mayor Janet Horner has been elected as the 148th Warden of Dufferin County. 

Horner was elected to the position, which she will hold for the 2025 term, during a Dufferin County Council meeting on Thursday (Dec. 12) at the Edelbrock Centre in Orangeville. She will be taking over the role of Warden from Melancthon Mayor Darren White, who held the position during 2024 as well as from 2019 to 2021. 

Prior to the election for the 2025 Warden of Dufferin County, White provided a reflection on his term and highlighted the need for change as well as better communication between councillors moving forward. 

“Change can create exciting opportunities for growth and new experiences, even if it sometimes feels a bit intimidating at first. When we look or talk about change, we have to keep in mind that growth and comfort do not coexist….Our county, with its growth projections and its very needs moving forward demands from us change. It begs of us to have difficult conversations and make sometimes difficult decisions, refusing to take some of those leaps will serve no one well,” said White. 

“As a council, we need to communicate more, and we need to communicate better. We need to talk more and listen more to the concepts of others and show respect for those that would try to bring forth new ideas,” he added. 

Councillors casted their votes for the nominees via an anonymous electronic ballot. Coun. Lisa Post, the mayor of Orangeville, and Horner were both nominated for the position as the head of County Council. Horner was officially elected following an 8-7 vote. 

“I'm really proud of Janet and I work really well with her. She's going to do an excellent job,” said Post, following the election. “I didn't run against her because it was her by any means. I ran for a different style of leadership in the community, and I'm really proud of Janet. I wish her all the best.” 

The Warden is the head of Dufferin County Council and acts as the chief executive officer (CEO) for the County, leading Council meetings, and providing representation at functions. 

With Horner's election as the 148th Warden of Dufferin County, she joins a small list of Mulmur council representatives who have been elected and served in the position. 

The first Mulmur Council member to hold the role of Warden of Dufferin County was Colwell Graham in 1882. The last Mulmur council member to be elected as the head of County Council was Paul Mills in 2018. 

Horner has served as the Mayor of Mulmur Township for the last six years, and prior to that she sat as a councillor for four years.

“I'm honoured, because it's my peers that have put their faith in me to be their spokesperson and speak on behalf of Dufferin County, in and outside of the county,” said Horner. “When your peers recognize that you can do the job, the that means a lot.” 

Orangeville Deputy Mayor Todd Taylor was selected as Chair of the Infrastructure and Environmental Services Committee, Mono Mayor John Creelman will again lead the General Government Services Committee, Shelburne Mayor Wade Mills will oversee the Community Development and Tourism Committee, and Melancthon Deputy Mayor James McLean will take on the role of Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee.