Biography of Mayor Phyllis Morris

Highlights:

  • Aurora's Mayor (2006-Current)
  • Aurora's Deputy Mayor (2003-2006)
  • Three-term Town of Aurora Councillor (1994-2000, 2003-2006)
  • Initiated the code of ethics for the Aurora Town Council
  • Member of the Aurora/Newmarket Joint Council Committee which administers fire and fire prevention services
  • Founding chair of Town Council’s Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC)
  • Chair of Town Council’s Economic Development Advisory Committee (2003-2006)
  • Aurora Town Council representative, Markham/Aurora Hydro Task Force
  • Aurora representative, Ontario Power Authority Political Review Forum
  • Member, Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) standing committees for: international relations, increasing women’s participation in municipal governance, and environmental issues and sustainable development
  • Member of the organizing committee which initiated the Aurora Community Arboretum
  • Served on the Aurora Library Board
  • Chair of the “special gift giving” component of a $15-million fund raising campaign by Southlake Regional Health Centre
  • Founder and chair of the citizen group that lobbied for and raised money to build the second arena at the Aurora Community Centre
  • Married. Mother of two children and grandmother of one.
  • Resident of Aurora since 1989 and of York Region since 1983

Biography:

Phyllis was elected Mayor in 2006. First elected to Aurora Council in November 1994, she was successfully re-elected in 1997, finished second in the race for Mayor three years later and won more votes than any other Council candidate when she was elected again as Town Councillor in 2003. Phyllis served as Deputy Mayor of the Town of Aurora from 2003-2006.

During the 2003-2006 term, she was the founding Chair of the Town's new Environmental Advisory Committee. She was appointed by the Council to represent the Town on the Markham/Aurora Hydro Task Force in 2004-2005. She was the Council's appointee to the Ontario Power Authority political review forum. She has served as a member of the following standing committees of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities: International Relations, Increasing Women's Participation in Municipal Governance, and Environmental Issues and Sustainable Development. She has served as Town of Aurora Council Representative to the Canadian Federation of Intercultural Friendship, the Police Liaison Committee and to the Joint Aurora-Newmarket Council Committee responsible for Central York Fire Services. Former Chair of the Town Council's Economic Development Advisory Committee.

Married to Brian, they have two children Tracey and Brian Jr. and a new granddaughter.

Phyllis holds a Law Enforcement Diploma (High Honours) from Seneca College, King City, and was Valedictorian in 1995, receiving the Tony Fuelling Memorial Award. She graduated in August 2003 from Seneca College as a Court and Tribunal Agent (Paralegal).

Prior to moving to York Region, Phyllis worked in the United Kingdom for the Ministry of Defence, as a Clerical Officer in the Headquarters, and Communications Section.

Her many years of business experience have included running her own retail & consulting companies in England and Canada. Phyllis also worked in the Human Resources field for more than 10 years recruiting and coordinating staffing for new plant start-ups, in the automotive & food retail industries, in both North America & Europe. Phyllis has been a member of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce for many years.

During her time in office, Phyllis has held numerous positions on Council, including being a Member of Council's Management Team, Administration & Finance, Leisure Services Advisory Committee Chairperson, Public Planning, Aurora's Downtown Community Core Review, and she was also a Public Library Trustee.

Phyllis is a hard working volunteer. One of her better known accomplishments was initiating and leading a large team of local volunteers to raise awareness and funding for extra ice time in Aurora. NAFAR successfully raised $117,000. With the ice-user groups contributing a further $1 million in user fees.

This partnership with the Town and dedicated volunteer initiative resulted in Aurora's third ice pad (ACC2) being built, at a time when more ice was definitely needed.

As a Councillor, Phyllis showed strong leadership skills by initiating many new ideas. Phyllis is responsible for introducing a "Code of Ethics" for elected officials, a "Commercial Horse Riding Establishment By-law" - the first in Canada, and for initiating a coalition of environmental groups, "A.C.O.R.N." (Aurora Citizens Respecting Nature) to monitor and comment on issues that affect Aurora's green spaces. She actively supports groups such as S.T.O.R.M., O.R.T.A. & P.A.R.K.S.

As a member of the Growth Management Team which guided OPA 17, controlling growth to the year 2016, Phyllis quickly established herself as a strong "planned growth" voice on Council.

Other Experience:

  • Management Team of Council
  • "Code of Ethics Review" Committee, Chairperson
  • Chair of Administration & Finance Committee
  • Planning & Economic Development Committee
  • Member of Public Planning Committee
  • Downtown Core Review Committee
  • Aurora Public Library Trustee - 6 years
  • Library, Facility Review Committee
  • Downtown Aurora "Community Core Review Committee"
  • Aurora's "Growth Management Study" Council Appointee
  • Leisure Services Advisory Committee, Chairperson
  • Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority, Expansion Committee (Ad hoc)

Community Cultural & Social Memberships:

  • Royal Canadian Legion
  • Aurora & District Historical Society
  • Aurora Minor Hockey Association
  • Aurora Youth Soccer Club

Environmental Memberships:

  • A.C.O.R.N. (Aurora Citizen's Respecting Nature)
  • A.C.A.P. (Aurora Community Arboretum Program)
  • S.T.O.R.M. (Save the Oak Ridges Moraine)
  • P.A.R.K.S.

Volunteering & Fundraising:

  • Southlake Regional Health Center. Appointed as Special Gifts Chairperson of the Nurture the Future $15 million capital campaign
  • MAGNA Country Hoedown - 9 year volunteer. This event has raised over $1.5 million for local charities.
  • Heart & Stroke Foundation's, "Big Bike For Stroke" – Team Captain
  • Canadian Cancer Society, "Jail n'Bail”.
  • Chamber of Commerce's, "World's Longest Street Sale" – Block Captain
  • NAFAR (New Arena for Aurora's Recreation): Initiated & chaired the community Fund-raising Team, NAFAR. With the help of the community and many dedicated volunteers, NAFAR contributed $117,000 for the New Arena. The Ice-users also contributed $1 million in surcharge fees to the Town. NAFAR's fund raising initiative, in partnering with the community & the Town resulted in the third ice pad (ACC2) being constructed.

Former Era-Banner Newspaper Columnist:

Weekly columnist for the local award-winning Era-Banner in the Aurora Tuesday edition.

Former Aurora Cable TV Host:

Bi-monthly host of Cable 10's Council In Action, interviewing the Council Members.


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