Newly appointed Quinte West councillor Karen Sharpe has officially been sworn into office.

An emotional Sharpe took the oath of office before City Clerk Josh Machesney ahead of the special council meeting on the Official Plan on Monday evening.  

"I thought the world of Terry," she said in an interview following the meeting.  "The circumstances of Terry's passing made it (the swearing in) emotional."

She was appointed to the Ward 2-Sidney seat last Wednesday -- a seat that was vacated following the passing of Terry Cassidy last month.  After motions to appoint the next closest candidate and to hold a by-election to appoint a different candidate failed, council chose to appoint Sharpe as the replacement.  Sharpe, no stranger to Quinte West council, served two terms as Sidney Ward councillor before making a run for mayor in the 2022 municipal election.

"It was a difficult decision for council," Sharpe said.  "They had two options before them and had they chosen a by-election, I would have run."

Sharpe echoed her previous statement that she understands why Council chose to go with appointing the new Councillor because of the election cost and a proposed increase to the 2023 City budget.

Following Cassidy's passing, Sharpe said she was approached by residents in the community who expressed interest in seeing her appointed to the role.  

"Council legally exercised their right," she stated.  "I care deeply about Quinte West residents and the community so I accepted."

Following the announcement that Sharpe had been appointed to the role, there was some public backlash surrounding council's decision not to appoint the "next in line" by municipal election votes - former Coun. Allan Dewitt.

When asked about the criticism, Sharpe opted "not to speak to it."  

"Under the Municipal Act, council has the option to appoint," she said.  "Everyone has the right to an opinion and I respect that.  That is what the democratic approach is about.  I respect that and understand that."

Meanwhile, Sharpe said she "appreciates the welcome she received from the mayor and council."

"Now I want to focus on city business and the work of council," she stated.

Sharpe said her first mandate will be to deal with the proposed operating budget coming before council on Wednesday.  The draft is proposing an 10.25-per cent tax levy.

Following Sharpe's swearing in, council adopted its updated 10-year official plan and it will be submitted to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for final approval.