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A History of Woolwich Mayor & Council Members

The Township of Woolwich Council is responsible for the governance of the Township and those villages and towns inside its boundaries. Council is responsible for making decisions about municipal finances and services, such as roads, water, and land use planning.

Woolwich Council 1852-1972

Woolwich Township Council was established in 1852 after it was granted municipal status under the 1849 Municipal Act. Prior to that time, the Township of Woolwich had already established a local council of landowners who met periodically to appoint a clerk, assessor and tax collector.

The head of the local municipal council is the reeve (later to be known as the Mayor). From 1842 to 1852 John Meyer served as councillor at the district seat of Guelph, in Wellington District. In 1852, when the Township of Woolwich established its own municipal council, John Meyer was elected as the first Reeve.

The Reeve and Deputy-Reeve also sat on the County of Waterloo Council from 1852 to 1972. The head of County Council was called the Warden and was selected from among County Council members. Charles Hendry, Woolwich Reeve, served as the County Warden in 1868.

John Meyer: 1851, 1861-1863	Peter Winger: 1854-1858	William Veitch; 1859
Charles Hendry: 1863-1868, 1872	John Snyder: 1868-1871, 1873-1885	D. Snyder: 1886-1888, 1892-1894
J. L. Umbach: 1889, 1891	A. S. Peterson: 1890, 1901-1904	Aaron Weber: 1895
Christian Weber: 1896	L. Bowman: 1897, 1898, 1907	James Glennie: 1899
Adam Mattusch: 1906, 1908	J. J. Wilkinson: 1909, 1911	J. Hurst: 1910, 1912-1914
Paul Snider: 1915-1918	S. Koch: 1919-1922	J. H. Woods: 1922-1925
Alex S. Forbes: 1926-1927	Norman Snyder: 1928-1929	B. Letson: 1930
Almon Snider: 1931-1933	Charles Schuett: 1934-1935, 1938-1940	W. Howlett: 1936-1937
Herb Strebel: 1941-1944	Edmund Schwindt: 1944-1945	O. J. Wright: 1946-1950
Abner B. Martin: 1951-1954	Walter Geisel: 1955-1957	Harward Ziegler: 1958-1962,1966-1972
Leslie Aberle: 1963-1965

Woolwich Council 1973-current

With Regonalization the Township of Woolwich was merged with part of the former Township of Waterloo. The first Council for the expanded Township took office in 1973.

Click on the years to view a picture of Council.

1973-1974: Mayor Howard Zeigler and Councillors Donald Brox, Theodore Isley, Allen Diefenbacher, Robert Huschka, Harold Geisel, Harold Snider, Kenneth Israel, Kenneth Stickney, and Robert Cousineau.

1975-1976: Mayor Howard Zeigler and Councillors Donald Brox, Theodore Isley, Kenneth Israel, William Hill, Brian Kirkham, Kenneth Stickney, Harold Snider, Harold Geisel and Robert Cousineau.

1977-1978: Front row from left: Councillors R.J. (Bonnie) Cousineau, Jean Hachborn, Irvin Brubacher, Wm. D. Hill
Back row from left: Clerk John Current, Councillors Ken Seiling, Brian Hunsberger, Joseph Zinger, Mayor Charles Blow, Road Superintendent George Bone, Councillor Howard Ziegler, Treasurer J. Ross Wright, Councillor Ken Israel

1978-1980: Left to right: Councillors Wm. D. Hill, Howard Ziegler, Ken Israel, R.J. (Bonnie) Cousineau, Mayor Ken Seiling, Councillors Don Downie, Jean Hachborn, Michael Alviano, Richard Gerson, Joseph Zinger
Absent: Councillor Irvin Brubacher (Died July, 1980)

1980-1982: Front row from left: Councillor Howard Ziegler, Mayor Ken Seiling, Councillor R. J. (Bonnie) Cousineau
Back row from left: Engineer Robert Wheildon, Councillors Murray Matthews, Michael Alviano, Wm. D. Will, Jean Hachborn, Ken Israel, Don Downie, Joseph Zinger, Richard Gerson, Treasurer J. Ross Wright, Administrator Wm. W. Kowalchuk, Clerk John Currnet

1983-1985: Front row from left: Councillor Jean Hachborn, Mayor Ken Seiling, Councillor Grace Sudden
Back row from left: Councillors Willis Woods, Joseph Zinger, Robert Waters, Don Downie, Michael Alviano, Ken Israel, Richard Gerson, Murray Aberle

1985-1988: Front row from left: Councillor Grace Sudden, Mayor Robert Waters, Councillor Jean Hachborn
Back row from left: Councillors Karen Reist, Murray Aberle, Bill Strauss, Joseph Zinger, David Leis, Richard Gerson, Pat McLean

1988-1991: Front row from left: Councillor Pat McLean, Mayor Robert Waters, Councillor Grace Sudden
Back row from left: Councillors Ruby Weber, Bill Strauss, Steve Hartman, David Leis, Ken Israel, Gordon Hunt, John Hertel

1991-1994: Front row from the left: Councillor Grace Sudden, Mayor Robert Waters, Councillor Ruby Weber
Back row from left: Councillors Gary Embro, Bill Strauss, Gordon Hunt, Quentin Martin, Steve Hartman, Sylvia Berg, Murray Aberle

1994-1997: Front row from the left: Councillor Murray Aberle, Mayor David Leis, Councillor Grace Sudden
Back row from left: Councillors Sylvia Berg, Gord Sorli, Howard Shuh, Quentin Martin, Murray Martin, Pat McLean, Ruby Weber

1997-2000: Front row from the left: Councillor Cheryl Buehler, Mayor Wm. L. (Bill) Strauss, Councillor Grace Sudden
Back row from the left: Councillors Bram Hollman, Pat McLean, Howard Shuh, Deanne Zenger, John Campbell, Murray Martin

2000-2003: Left to right: Councillor Pat McLean, Councillor Mark Bauman, Mayor Wm. L. (Bill) Strauss, Councillor Murray Martin, Councillor Ruby Weber

2003-2006: Left to right: Councillor Ruby Weber, Mayor Wm. L. (Bill) Strauss, Councillor Murray Martin, Councillor Pat McLean, Councillor Mark Bauman

2006-2010: Left to right: Councillor Sandy Shantz, Councillor Murray Martin, Mayor Wm. L. (Bill) Strauss, Councillor Mark Bauman, Councillor Ruby Weber

2010-2014: From left to right: Councillor Allan Poffenroth, Councillor Julie-Anne Herteis, Mayor Todd A. Cowan, Councillor Bonnie Bryant, Councillor Mark Bauman