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The Oakville Beaver, Friday March 12, 2004 - 3 Burton said he accepts recount results as final (Continued from page 1) Of those 163 ballots, 62 were included in the recount tally -- 35 for Mulvale, 27 for Burton. This time votes counted for Mulvale tal lied 15,758 while 15,730 were for Burton, making for a victory margin of 28 for Mulvale. Serra picked up an additional vote for a total 574 in the recount. Of the 163,128 ballots were disputed. Those ballots could be appealed to the court by either candidate within 15 days of the official result being declared yesterday. However, in a statement yesterday, Burton said he would not appeal. "Rob Burton announced today that he accepts as final the March 10 results of the court-ordered recount of the November 10, 2003, Oakville election for Mayor," said the statement. "Mrs. Mulvale has won the closest elec tion I know of in Oakville's history, with 49 per cent of the vote, and I congratulate her again, as I did on Election Night," stated Burton. The mayor, who's been in British Columbia on municipal business, said she was glad it was over. "I am both pleased with the result and relieved that this difficult interlude is final ly coming to an end. It has been a long and stressful process with financial and emo tional costs to taxpayers, the Town of Oakville and individuals like me. I wish to thank all those who continued to believe in the integrity of Oakville's election process, as well as those who supported me, both during the election and throughout this ordeal," said Mulvale. "There will be no appeal. It's too bad the election results have never been the same number twice, but we have obtained as much certainty as the Ontario Municipal Elections Act permits," said Burton. Burton said he paid his own legal costs "in order to spare taxpayers." Both candidates said it's time to move on. Mulvale said that with the electronic recount confirming the outcome of the Nov. 10 municipal election, she appreciates the "opportunity and privilege of being able to continue to serve the people of Oakville." Burton said he'll keep working and has his eye on the next municipal election. "To the residents of Oakville who sup ported me and insisted we obtain a recount, we now know how much harder we need to work next time," he said. "It is time to move on and focus on safeguarding and raising the quality of life in Oakville, which continues to face the problem of not keeping up with uncontrolled growth," said Burton. Mulvale looked to the Town motto. "Now it is time to honour the Town's motto, `Avancez.' We must go forward and move on to face the many opportunities and challenges before us. Those of us who sit on Council have been working hard to respond to the key messages that voters delivered on Nov. 10: that we need to do.a better job of communi cating the pressures of growth, the Province's role in it and how together we can maximize our con trol over these pressures," said Mulvale. "In my assessment, I think the mayor has handily won this portion of it. I don't see the ballots changing significantly," said Mulvale's lawyer John Callaghan, of the Toronto firm Gowling LaFleur Henderson. At times during the election challenge proceedings, Mulvale was also represented by Jarvis Sheridan, of Oakville's O'Connor McLeod Hanna. According to Callaghan, Mulvale picked up 35 votes while Burton gained 27 in the recount that included votes from the 163 ballots that^vouldn't have been counted on Election Day. Of the 128 disputed ballots, Callaghan said his opinion was that Mulvale could expect to pick up another 43 while Burton could receive another 21, if they were allowed. As Callaghan explained it, these ballots were those which voters marked with an "X" or a check mark beside a mayoral candidate's name, but aren't legally allowed under the Ontario regulations of the Municipal Elections Act. Best confirmed she did not allow them to be included in the recount total. (See `Electronic' page 4) M ED IU M S TOPPINGS EACH PLUS TAX A NEW ADDITION TO THE PIZZA HUT FAMILY OF CRUSTS! IT 'S NOT LIKE OUR PAN PIZZA CRUST that you know and love. Our Oven-Baked Crust is hand tossed and dry bakedgiving it a light and airy crust delivering the perfect pizza! C itfJ S T P IZ Z A Photorejuvenation Removal of age/liver spots Facial Flushing (Rosacea) Varicose & Spider Veins Skin Tags, Freckles Minor Sun Damage Botox, Restylane Artecoll Injections I N T E R N A T I O N A L COSMETIC & LASER CENTRE Hyper-Pigmentation Oakville Town Centre Oakville 905.338.3333 tftespaattmages.com Financing available 13 Citarles Street Milton 905,878,9113 'Validonlyon 1 st treatment for newclientsor new COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION M a k in g T h e C h o ic e s C Carrier Now is the best time to buy a new Carrier Home Comfort Package O a k v ille T o w n C e n tre I, 3 0 0 N o rth Service O A K V IL L E heme 1? cam-fort See dealer for details.