Acclamations in Three South Frontenac Districts

On November 14, when the new council is sworn in at the inaugural meeting of the 2026-2030 South Frontenac Council, it will be “déjà vu all over again” to quote baseball player and manager, Yogi Berra. At least 7 of the 9 people sitting around the horse shoe, and perhaps all 9 of them, will be the same people who have been sitting there during the current term of council.

There will be an election for mayor in South Frontenac. Ron Vandewal, who has been the mayor of the township for the last three terms, since 2014, is running for a fourth term. He is being challenged by Alan Revill, who served on council between 2014 and 2022, and ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2022, is running again. Steve Leonard is a first-time candidate running for mayor. In 2022, there was also a three- way election for mayor, with Vandewal receiving more votes than Mark Schjerning and Alan Revill.

Running through the districts, Bedford District councillors Steve Pegrum and Adam Turcotte were the only candidates who came forward, and both of them have been acclaimed to office, the township announced on Monday, August 24. Pegrum was elected in 2022, and Turcotte was not, but Turcotte was appointed to council when the person who was elected ahead of him, Charlene Godfrey, resigned early in the term.

In Portland District, councillors Ray Leonard and Doug Morey were acclaimed to office on Monday. It will be the third consecutive term on council for both of them, going back to the 2018 election.

In Loughborough District, Councillors Randy Ruttan and Scott Trueman were acclaimed to office on Monday. It will be the third consecutive term on council for Ruttan, and the second for Trueman.

There will be an election in Storrington District, however. Norm Roberts and Ron Sleeth, who have both been serving on council for at least the last three terms, going back to 2014, are both running again. There is a third candidate, the only new candidate for council in the entire township, Gord Boulton.

Unless Gord Boulton beats either Norm Roberts or Ron Sleeth in Storrington, and either Alan Revill or Steve Leonard is able to unseat Ron Vandewal for mayor, the council that is elected on November 14 will be the same council as the one that will be in place when the current council meets for the last time.