Claire Detheridge on extended leave from Cape Breton regional council
Mayor Cecil Clark says Detheridge making 'remarkable' progress following brain bleed
Cape Breton regional council has granted Coun. Claire Detheridge an extended leave of absence, which government regulations require when an elected official misses three or more council meetings.
The District 4 councillor has been in hospital since suffering a brain bleed in December.
The mayor of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Cecil Clarke, is optimistic about Detheridge's progress after visiting her in hospital. He describes her recovery as "remarkable."
"I was totally floored today to see the progress," he said.
Clark said he anticipates Detheridge will be returning to her duties, although he adds she will require rehabilitation to regain full mobility and he can't speak for her.
"She has access to her phone but not to her email and other things that could distract her from having a full recovery as soon as possible," he said.
'Baby steps'
Clarke would not speculate on whether Detheridge will run in this fall's municipal election. Everything between now and then will be done in "baby steps" as she recovers, he said.
Detheridge, 63, has been a councillor for 33 years. Her district encompasses the Coxheath-Sydney River area with a population of about 8,500.
Due to her illness she is also unable to fulfill her duties as president of the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities, a position to which she was elected in November. Clarke has agreed to take her place in the interim.
In addition to the decision to grant Detheridge a leave of absence, Cape Breton regional council also decided to leave the North Sydney seat, formerly occupied by Charlie Keagan, vacant until the election in October.
Keagan died in January after a heart attack the month before.
Clarke said council decided it doesn't make sense to hold a byelection with associated costs of $34,000 when the general election is only months away.