Municipal election – Incumbent Mayors chomping at the bit.

Jeff Green | Jun 08, 2022

It has been over a month since nominations opened for this fall’s municipal election. With a provincial election winding down, and almost 3 months to go before nominations close in late August, there has been no real rush to bring signed nominations to township offices in Sydenham, Sharbot Lake, Plevna and Flinton.

But in all 4 cases, the incumbent heads of council, who signalled their intent to seek and additional term earlier in the year, have already registered as candidates.

Henry Hogg is the only declared candidate in Addington Highlands. He is seeking a 6 term as Reeve, having held the post for 20 of the 24 years since the township was established in 1998. (He took a 4-year break between 2004 and 2007).

There are wards in the township, each with two council positions.

North Frontenac Mayor Ron Higgins registered on May 24. Of the three wards in North Frontenac, ward 3 (Palmerston-Canonto) has no candidates as of yet, but in Ward 2 (Clarendon and Miller) incumbent Gerry Martin and new candidate Roy Huetl are on the candidate list. In ward 1, there are two new candidates, Michel Hage, and Stephanie Regent.

In Central Frontenac, Mayor Frances Smith has put her name forward for a 3rd term. There is one candidate for the two positions in wards 2,3, and 4, all incumbents seeking re-election: Victor Heese in ward 2 (Olden), Bill Macdonald in ward 3 (Oso) and Nicki Gowdy in ward 4 (Hinchinbrooke)

There will be a race for Mayor in South Frontenac. The sitting Mayor, Ron Vandewal, is seeking a third term, and sitting Bedford District Councillor Alan Revill is attempting unseat him. That leaves two open council positions in Bedford ward because John MacDougall, who was appointed when Pat Barr died last year, will not be running. Suzanne Quenneville has come forward to seek one of those spots.

Both of the incumbents in Portland district, Doug Morey and Ray Leonard, are running for re-election, as is Norm Roberts in Storrington. Incumbent Randy Ruttan is running again in Loughborough district, as is the township’s former Public Works Manager, Mark Segsworth.

(In all of the Frontenac Townships, and in Addington Highlands as well, the Mayor/Reeve is elected though a township wide vote, and there are two councillors elected by the residents from each ward/district)