‘A bit of anxiety’: Coun. Terry Whitehead on first Hamilton city meeting after extended sick leave

Coun. Terry Whitehead has returned to city meetings after taking a sick leave that sidelined him for several months.

The veteran Mountain councillor said he felt a bit of anxiety" before attending Monday afternoon's public works committee.

It's probably a little higher than what people would feel if they were going back to work after say two or three weeks of holidays."

Whitehead, who was first elected in 2003, last attended a council meeting Dec. 16. Council then granted him a series of extensions to be absent.

Under the Municipal Act, members of council can only miss three successive months of council meetings. Last month, council gave Whitehead until Oct. 31.

The Ward 14 councillor said his return to various committee work would be gradual.

I'm still being monitored for the recovery," he told The Spectator.

In March, Whitehead noted he faced severe personal and family health-related challenges" but has declined to specify his condition.

In an interview Monday, Whitehead said he would disclose as much as I possibly can" about his illness very soon."

But right now's not the time," he added.

During public works, Whitehead thanked councillors Lloyd Ferguson and Tom Jackson for helping with Ward 14 duties during his extended leave.

Before him, other councillors have taken leaves beyond the Municipal Act's three-month limit due to illness.

The late Bernie Morelli, for example, went on leave for a serious illness. The Ward 3 councillor died in 2014.

Robert Pasuta also took an extended break in 2017 with health problems after accidents on his Flamborough farm.

Teviah Moro is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: tmoro@thespec.com