Following months of speculation, debate, and whispers about an appetite for change, the people of Lennox and Addington County decided Monday evening they turn to experienced hands at the helm of their councils.
Incumbents Eric Smith and Henry Hogg maintained their reeve status in Stone Mills and Addington Highlands respectively, while Marg Isbester and Ric Bresee in Greater Napanee and Loyalist moved into mayor’s posts after being quite well entrenched in their municipalities as sitting deputy mayors over the past four years. All four are well-established, qualified, and recognizable.
Their returns may suggest a general satisfaction with the way governance is being handled at the moment. Also, it could mean that voters looked at the political climate surrounding this municipal election and decided it’s best to go with the steady hands they know in an uncertain time. With Premier Doug Ford’s government moving rapidly to install an austerity agenda and with little predictability one year out for a federal vote, experience could well have been a trump card. The timing has made it a tough climate for learning on the job and, despite strong backgrounds and skills offered by a great field of challengers, their collective history in municipal politics was attractive.
While some might say the campaign itself was grueling — and, indeed, it is with the pace of door knocking, phone calls and social media — the real test begins now for these heads of council and their colleagues taking office. Because they have been in leadership positions before, the public will expect their chosen representatives to quickly shepherd their teams to begin the work of keeping their promises and offering real solutions to the issues ahead. Great ideas have come from all corners. It is now their job to carry them.
Though none of the municipalities elected to turn to an outside candidate to lead, a major discussion point in this year’s campaign across all local jurisdictions was an idea of a public disconnect and a desire for more transparency, accountability, and civic engagement. Whether that came from select groups or not, the electorate — or at least those who do wish to be engaged — will be watching to see ideas to bring people into the process and expecting council leaders to deliver. Live streaming of meetings is an idea whose time has come. Regular meet-and-greet forums would also help improve that connection.
Given the familiarity among the newly elected council heads, one would also expect it is a good time to make headway on shared priorities on County council. These councillors should be well briefed on homelessness and housing already and they won’t be coming in cold on Lennox and Addington’s economic development strategies. Voters will be looking for measured traction in those areas. One can also hope the shared experience will provide a jumping point to think outside normal convention and work together to realize projects like green box recycling and increased recreational opportunities at an affordable cost.
The job of councillor — and even more so mayor, reeve, or deputy — is a tough, often thankless one that requires a round-the-clock commitment. It’s not for everybody. Thankfully, local municipalities have found people the electorate has deemed up to the task. May they and all of the new officials walking alongside them continue to rise to those expectations over the next four years.