Gerry Martin Resigns From North Frontenac Council

Jeff Green | Dec 14, 2022

(Editors note: Gerry Martin died on December 15, the day this article was published in the Frontenac News. Our condolences to his family and friends)

Very soon after being re-elected for a third term on North Frontenac Council, Gerry Martin received a cancer diagnosis, and underwent surgery in November.

He knew that he would not be able to attend the inaugural meeting of council, and let the township know. He had already indicated that he was not planning to seek the position of second North Frontenac representative to Frontenac County Council for the next four years, a position he held for the most recent term of council, between 2018 and October of this year. With the first meeting of the new Frontenac County Council pending, an election for that position was held at the inaugural meeting, and Fred Fowler was chosen.

The selection process for the rest of the council appointments, including deputy mayor and the board of Mississippi Valley and Quinte Conservation Authorities, were left for this Friday’s second meeting of North Frontenac Council. Martin was expected to return as deputy mayor, a position he also held until the October election.

But not only will Martin not be in attendance as expected, he tendered his resignation from council last week, because of ongoing health concerns.

Martin was first elected to council in 2010, making him one of three long standing members of the current North Frontenac Council. (John Inglis was first elected in 2010 as well, and Wayne Good has been a member since 2006.)

At the time of his first election, Gerry had been back in North Frontenac, his childhood home, for a few years, after retiring from Bell Canada after a 35 year career.  He became a member of the Committee of Adjustment for the township before deciding to run for council.

At the time he said he wanted to see Council take a more active role, lamenting that “we have government by bureaucracy instead of government by representatives.”

He also said he was “a little tired of being retired. I can only hunt and fish so much.”

As a member of council, Martin established a reputation for being very well prepared for council debates, and took a fiscally conservative approach to spending. 

“We didn't always agree on things,” said his council colleague John Inglis about Martin, “but when he speaks to an issue it is always with clarity and with a well reasoned position. We will really miss Gerry on council.”

In his first term, he worked on cell tower improvements and on the build out of a memorial park at the Clar-Mil Hall in Plevna, where Remembrance Day Ceremonies are now held each year.

Martin speaks very highly of Bud Clayton, who he served with between 2010 and Clayton's sudden death just before the 2014 election. They were both from a tele-communications background and developed a good rapport. 

In fact, after Clayton's death, Martin thought about seeking the open mayor's position, but said “Bud worked at it, day and night. I'm a retiree. I don't want to start another career.”

His relationship with Mayor Ron Higgins was not as close, but over the 8 years that they worked together, and four as the North Frontenac representatives to Frontenac County Council, they also developed a rapport.

Martin supported Higgins at the county level, even when Higgins battled with Frontenac County Council, presenting a united front in support of the interests of North Frontenac.

The new Mayor of South Frontenac Gerry Lichty, said that Martin was someone that he has “always respected. He is straight shooter. I was looking forwards to working with him on council. If he had put his name forward for the Deputy Mayor position, as expected, I would have supported him. With so many of us being new, having someone with his knowledge and perspective in that role would have been of real value. We will miss him on council.”

He said he decided to run for a fourth term because he enjoys being on council, and still felt he was able to contribute. He also said that since his wife, Joy, died in 2019, council had been a good way to fill some of the void in his life. 

But only some of the void. As he wrote this year in the memoriam he has placed in the Frontenac News each year since Joy's passing, “without you, life has never been the same and never will be.”

It council follows the established protocol, the vacated council position will be offered to Vernon Hermer, who finished third in the October election I Clar-Mil (Ward 2) behind Roy Huetl and Gerry Martin. Before being defeated in October, Hermer served two consecutive terms on council.