By Rosalind Russell – Elliot Mayor Andrew Wannan opened Monday night’s council meeting with special recognition of one of the city’s long-time employees – Fire Chief John Thomas.
Thomas was surprised when Mayor Wannan announced it was his great honour as mayor to recognize Thomas’s 30 years of outstanding service and then to present him with the Exemplary Service Medal on behalf of the Governor General of Canada.
Wannan also presented Thomas with his 30-year Service Bar on behalf of the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General.
Thomas joined the crew as a volunteer firefighter in 1995 eventually moving up to the ranks to become chief.
He was also the 2025 recipient of the Hicks Morley Fire Chief of the Year Award presented at the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs’ 2025 Labour Relations Seminar, last year.
Screenshots by Rosalind Russell/Closeup by Steve Antunes
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