Terry Whitehead says he doesn’t know when he’ll return to council
Coun. Terry Whitehead - who hasn't attended a council meeting since mid-December due to illness - says he doesn't know when he'll return to his regular duties.
I think until we know exactly what the prognosis and diagnosis is, it's all speculative," Whitehead said Friday. You know, I've got friends praying for me, so we'll see what happens."
But for now, the veteran west Mountain councillor says he can't take part in meetings due to his condition.
Right now, I can't even focus," said Whitehead, attributing the fog to medication he's taking.
Under the Municipal Act, if elected officials haven't attended council meetings for three consecutive months, their seats can be declared vacant and be filled by council appointment or byelection.
But council can grant extended leaves, which Whitehead, whose last council meeting was Dec. 16, would need to hold onto his Ward 14 post.
Coun. Tom Jackson said he has been notified a motion to that effect is in the works.
When a colleague needs compassion shown, at absolutely the lowest time of what they're going through, my goodness ... I'm definitely going to be there for them."
The east Mountain councillor said Whitehead's office has asked him to be on standby" to help with Ward 14 constituency work or business at council or committee meetings.
Coun. Lloyd Ferguson noted Whitehead has asked for his assistance, as well.
We'll always fall in behind our colleagues if they need help," the Ancaster councillor said.
Although his last council meeting was in December, Whitehead served as chair of the governance review subcommittee on Jan. 25.
City clerk Andrea Holland referred questions about Whitehead's absence to his office.
But, generally speaking, the length of an extended leave is entirely in the hands of council," Holland noted in an email.
Whitehead says it's tough to specify the nature of his illness but describes it as serious.
At one time, I didn't think I was going to live," the 62-year-old said Friday.
So the good news is I'm here," he added, noting frustration over trying to set up appointments with specialists. It's not terminal, so we'll see where it brings us."
In October, Whitehead told Spectator columnist Scott Radley he was feeling better after missing committee meetings and putting weight back on after losing 20 pounds.
He also spoke of caring for his 84-year-old mother, who has dementia and other medical issues.
On Friday, asked when he might recover, Whitehead said, I couldn't tell you," and speculated he has experienced a system overload."
First elected in 2003, Whitehead has been a lighting rod of controversy over the years.
A steadfast critic of Hamilton's proposed LRT project, more recently, he has fought against a road diet" experiment that reduces Aberdeen Avenue from four two lanes, arguing it will cause traffic headaches for west Mountain residents.
His aggressive questioning of staff on the topic in September compelled chair Coun. John-Paul Danko to eject him from a public works meeting, a decision Whitehead disputed.
Other councillors have taken leaves beyond the Municipal Act's three-month limit due to illness over the years.
Ferguson recalled how fellow city politicians rallied behind his older brother, Murray, after a stroke in 2005. He lost the last year of his term."
The late Bernie Morelli also went on leave for a serious illness. The Ward 3 councillor died in 2014 at age 70.
Robert Pasuta took an extended break in 2017 amid health problems after accidents on his Flamborough farm, including a fall from a tractor.
Teviah Moro is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: tmoro@thespec.com