Dave Beres was first elected to Tillsonburg Town Council in 1994. Thirty-two years later, he's preparing to begin his ninth term, with 29 years of service already behind him.
Dave Beres was re-elected in Monday's municipal election, receiving 3,307 votes according to the Town of Tillsonburg's official certified results. Over the years, he's served as a councillor, deputy mayor, and even spent six months carrying out mayoral duties in 2014. With another four-year term ahead of him, Beres will have accumulated 33 years on council by 2030. But, after nearly three decades of council meetings, budgets, difficult decisions and changing priorities, has the experience lost any of its appeal?
Beres says there's always something new to deal with.
Beres has also seen Tillsonburg change considerably since his first election. As the community grows, so do the demands on its infrastructure, services and municipal finances. He believes maintaining the town's infrastructure and setting aside money for future needs are important parts of managing that growth. But his involvement in the community extends well beyond the council chamber.
Beres is approaching another milestone: 50 years as a member of the Lions Club. For him, municipal politics and volunteer work share a common purpose.
The newly elected Tillsonburg council will include three returning councillors and three newcomers, alongside returning Mayor Deb Gilvesy.
Beres believes that combination of experience and fresh perspectives will be valuable as the town faces the challenges of the next four years.
While he has decades of municipal experience to draw upon, he recognizes that the newest members of council have something important to contribute.
Asked what advice he would offer John Gilvesy, Lindsey Ambrus Mejaski and Ron Gasparetto as they prepare for their first council meeting, Beres encouraged them to remember the conversations they had with residents during the election campaign.
For Beres, the next four years will bring another chapter in a council career that began more than three decades ago. And, while his experience provides a connection to Tillsonburg's past, his comments suggest he's just as interested in hearing what the town's newest representatives have learned about its future.
