There was an empty seat at Mount Pearl council this week, but its usual occupant wasn’t forgotten. Deputy Mayor Nicole Kieley was hospitalized after being struck by a car on May 21, and is in serious condition. During this week’s meeting, someone placed a package of licorice, her favourite snack, atop her desk to await her return. Mark Squibb photo.
By Mark Squibb / June 2, 2023
Members of Mount Pearl City council wore their hearts on their sleeves during this week’s public meeting, and those hearts were heavy.
The meeting was the first one to be held since Deputy Mayor Nicole Kieley was hospitalized after being struck by a car and seriously injured on May 21.
“Our thoughts, prayers and unwavering support go out to her and her family during this incredibly difficult time,” said Mayor Dave Aker. “Nicole has been an invaluable member of council. She’s been dedicated to serving our city with passion, integrity, and genuine commitment. She’s always brought a positive approach to moving the city forward. This incident has undoubtedly left us very much lost, and we must continue to work together as a community to offer our support, our love, and our understanding. And while it’s natural for us to be concerned and seek updates, we do kindly request that we respect Nicole’s privacy and her health, and that of her family. They deserve space and time to process this incident and focus on healing. In the meantime, let us hold out hope, as we rally together and offer our steadfast support for Nicole and her family.”
Councillor Chelsea Lane also offered support for Kieley, whom she described as a friend as well as a colleague.
“I think that we’re all having a hard time being at this meeting tonight and looking across at her seat,” said Lane. “If you know Nicole, you know that she is a force to be reckoned with, she is resilient, she has a smile that lights up the room, and she’s always there for her friends, and for anyone who knows her, including the people who elected her. We certainly feel sad today, but we are here to support you in any way, shape, or form, and the whole city is thinking about you in this time.”
Aker admitted council still hasn’t processed the incident yet, and expects it will take time, adding that he hoped to see Kieley back at her council seat soon.
Councillors Jim Locke and Mark Rice both wished Kieley a speedy recovery, with Rice saying he hadn’t planned on addressing the matter but felt he had to.
“It’s been a difficult week for all of us,” admitted Rice, who, like Kieley, was elected for the first time during this last municipal election. “Once you start to feel out the team members, you start to get connected to people, and when this happened with Nicole, we were all distraught, and we couldn’t believe that it was Nicole. The more time you spend with people, you become friends, and you connect with people, and you get strong feelings for people, and if anything happens to the team, it feels like part of you is lost. And it’s no different here today. It was very difficult for all of us to come here today.”
Council went ahead with the remainder of the meeting’s agenda but cancelled the roundtable discussion in light of the difficult situation.
On Tuesday, the same day of the public council meeting, a friend of the Kieley family launched a GoFundMe page to help the family during Nicole’s recovery.
Within nine hours, people had donated $11,945.
