2026 Town of Essex Municipal Election Candidate Profiles
Readers can find candidate profiles and debate coverage for the Essex Municipal Election. These articles were previously published in the Essex Free Press. They are, however, being made available again here for those who missed them in print form or would like to reread them.
In terms of candidate profiles, the Essex Free Press made an effort to contact all candidates running in this election. Not all responded or proceeded with the invitation. All articles were written to be approximately the same size in fairness. Photos were submitted by the candidates.
Mayor Candidates
Sherry Bondy makes experience, stability her case for another term
by Greg Layson
After four-terms on Essex Town Council — the latest as Mayor — Sherry Bondy believes she's just getting started.
Bondy, who spent 12-years as a Councillor before winning the Mayor's chair in 2022, said one term at the helm isn't enough to finish the work she and Council have started.
She’s now ready to fully capitalize on the experience she gained during her inaugural term marked by floods, storms, and major decisions at Town Hall.
“One term as Mayor isn't a very long time,” Bondy said. “I'm just now getting my bearings and I feel like I will be a much, much more experienced asset this time around, because I've learned my own strengths, my own weaknesses.”
Bondy is confident enough to discuss her successes and shortcomings as a first-term mayor.
Near the top of her list of accomplishments is the sale of the Town’s shares in E.L.K. Energy Inc., following a three-year strategic review.
Bondy called the decision controversial, but said the sale has given the Town an immediate influx of capital for major projects, while allowing it to take on less debt.
“I'm really happy with that decision.”
She's equally willing to note a decision she believes Council might have gotten wrong.
Bondy said moving ahead with engineering work for a sewage treatment plant in Colchester, designed to accommodate residential growth on the south-shore, might have been premature.
Two floods during her first term have changed her thinking about development in the area.
“I'm not convinced that we should have a lot more development in Colchester,” Bondy said. “I'd like to pause all development in Colchester until we understand the flooding — overland flooding — more.”
Flooding would remain a priority for Bondy in a second term. The incumbent said she wants the Town to put measurable targets around its flooding roadmap and determine which work remains and what it will cost.
Roads are also on her list. Bondy said Council adopted a roads plan during her first term, but she wants more public input into which roads should be prioritized.
But she sees affordability as the overarching challenge facing the next Council.
“We know that residents can't afford … sharp tax increases,” Bondy said. “We're going to have to really have hard discussions on what do our residents want and what can they afford.”
She believes she’s the right person to lead those discussions.
Bondy rejects the notion that, after 12 years as a Councillor and four as Mayor, it might simply be time for a different voice at Town Hall.
“Electing somebody that doesn't have any experience at the Council table is a huge risk,” Bondy said.
She points to a Council she says is no longer defined by “the infighting” of previous terms. She argues her experience is particularly important as the Town works with a new CAO and administrative team, most of whom were hired or promoted during her time as Mayor.
“At the end of the day, the institutional knowledge in Essex, it is me,” Bondy said. “I think we need the stability.”
Despite the demands of the job, Bondy said she still enjoys helping residents and using the Mayor's Office to connect people to what they need. What she could do without is “getting beat up on social media” by people who don't understand municipal jurisdiction or have all the information.
And what will be the result if voters give her another four-years?
Bondy said Essex will be “more resilient and vibrant,” with residents better informed about what is happening in their community.
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Trevor Menard pitches leadership, growth in first run for Essex Mayor
by Greg Layson
Trevor Menard spends his workdays trying to get 17 different personalities pulling in the same direction.
The first-time mayoral candidate believes that real-world experience could serve him well in Essex, a municipality where bringing together several communities with distinctly different identities has been a challenge since amalgamation.
Menard, a team leader for 33-years at seatbelt manufacturer TRQSS in Tecumseh, said managing people with different perspectives, priorities, and skillsets has taught him the value of listening, compromise, and finding common ground.
It's an approach he says he would bring to Essex Town Hall, where the next mayor will have to balance the sometimes competing needs of Essex Centre, Harrow, Colchester, McGregor and the municipality's rural areas.
“We have to fight equally for all the little hamlets that we have,” Menard said. “We have to work together to promote all of those benefits that they have to offer.”
Finding common ground among those different communities is one part of Menard's pitch.
Growing those settlement areas is another.
Economic development is at the heart of Menard's platform, with the mayoral candidate pointing to the Highway 3 corridor and available land as an opportunity to attract new industrial investment to Essex.
His argument for growth is that more industrial and commercial assessment ultimately helps lower the tax burden for residents.
“Especially if we increase our industrial tax base, that keeps residential taxes lower,” Menard said. “Same thing with commercial. You got big box stores, right? They're buying the land to put that building on. So those kinds of tax increases or tax advantages by these companies coming to the town help keep residential taxes low.”
But attracting that development, Menard said, will require continued investment in the roads, water, and sewer infrastructure needed to support it.
Menard, who has lived in Essex Centre for more than 30-years, said infrastructure should be a priority when it comes to capital spending, noting some roads in the community have not been rebuilt during the three-decades he has lived there.
Menard's roots in the community extend beyond his work. He has raised two children in Essex and has been a volunteer Firefighter for 30-years.
Menard said firefighting also helped shape his approach to leadership. At critical scenes, an officer isn't always immediately available, meaning the most senior Firefighter may have to take command and make decisions until one arrives. Sometimes, that's Menard.
Menard's decision to run comes partly from a belief that Essex could be accomplishing more. Asked whether the municipality is better off than it was four-years ago, Menard said he doesn't believe it is.
“I think we could have achieved a lot more in [these] past four years,” he said.
Menard also casts himself as a different kind of political personality.
“I'm more humble. I'm not ego-driven or whatever you want to call it. I'm not that type of person,” he said.
Menard said he has never sought the spotlight through his work or his time with the Fire Department, describing himself as approachable and willing to listen even when he doesn't have all the answers.
“I might not have all the answers. I might not have all the knowledge, but I am open to listen and to learn,” Menard said.
Menard has a clear vision of what success would look like after a four-year term as Mayor.
Essex, he said, would be “a pillar of Essex County for industrial growth.”
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Ward 1 Candidates
Fred Groves hoping to bring years of journalism and community service to Essex Council
by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative
Fred Groves, a long time local journalist and author, hopes to bring his experience to Essex Council as a Ward One rep.
"I have reported on hundreds – if not thousands – of Council meetings and elections, which has given me a front row seat to how decisions are made and how important democracy is," he said.
Groves has also been a local volunteer for many years, including with Santa's Village, the Essex Fun Fest, the John R. Park Homestead, and Essex Minor Baseball Association. He also founded Essex Community Gardens.
Groves was also a member of the Town of Essex's Affordable Housing Task Force, which for two-years worked to develop an Affordable Housing Strategy with a consulting agency.
While the Town has approved the Affordable Housing Strategy, Groves noted there is still work to be done on this file. He would like to see that expanded, so the Town can do more. Developers need to be convinced of the importance of new developments being 20% affordable.
As part of that Task Force, he was a liaison for the residents of Essex Non-Profit Homes, which announced earlier this year it would sell 53 of its units, displacing residents.
A better job needs to be done regionally in supporting those individuals, Groves said.
"We need to make sure that our people who live in Essex Non-Profit Homes, if they are displaced, we have to have a plan in place," Groves said. "We have to advocate for them.”
He said he's a big proponent of Additional Dwelling Units.
"I'm not here to reinvent the wheel," Groves said. "I respect and am very grateful for all those who served on Council before me. It is a very difficult task; a lot of criticism."
What he wants to bring to the table is a different perspective. He is looking for more public participation, and wants to increase the number of votes cast this fall more than in the 2022 Municipal Election.
So far, he's had a few people ask him what he wants.
"Well, it has nothing to do with what I want. It has got to do with what they want."
Though he is building his platform as he meets with residents, Groves shared a few of his ideas so far.
Firstly, he would like to see a hiring freeze for the Town of Essex. The only addition he would possibly consider is a harbormaster for the Colchester Harbour.
He believes Essex’s employees need to be empowered with professional development training to cut down on contracted services.
Groves would also like a four-year freeze on Council remuneration.
He said he's been getting a lot of kudos for his idea of getting the Arts, Culture, & Tourism Committee to do better with sports tourism. Essex is a sports town and is also centrally located. As teams come from all over the province to compete, he wants to hook them up with the Essex Center BIA and let people know what’s available.
He sees the time for that now being pertinent with the Essex Sports Fields developing.
While the current term of Essex Council has put off potentially adopting the proposed Municipal Accommodation Tax until 2027, he would like to see that approved at 4%. And that the funding goes directly into tourism.
Groves also has a "Team Essex" vision to unite all wards within the municipality. Amalgamation took place in 1999, and he said there's still a lot of division within the community.
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Andrew George campaign focuses on improving small business competitiveness and social cohesion
by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative
Andrew George is hoping to bring his education in finance and passion for economic development to the local municipal decision-making table as a Ward One Councillor.
If elected, he would lean on his finance degree with specializations in entrepreneurship and creative writing to implement programs focusing on economic improvement for the Town and small businesses.
"In some ways, I have overcome capitalism. And in other ways, it has defeated me," he said.
Though he said capitalism defeated him in a way that he never got to really work in economic development as there are so few positions, he overcame capitalism in that he never really had to work for a big corporation.
When George was going through his post-secondary education, it was around the 2007 to 2009 financial crisis. What he said was eye-opening to him was that what was happening in the real world then was completely at odds with what professors were speaking about.
That really shaped the way George piloted his career after university, focusing on entrepreneurship. He has operated three businesses; a bike shop for three-years, a health food store for five-years, and as an organic farmer for the past six-years.
What he's really proud of is that he has been able to raise his two kids alongside this work.
"These are the things that are essential to kind of getting outside the system, and being able to be resilient," George said.
"I never really had profit-motive at the forefront. I was more interested in doing fun, community-based, ethical businesses," George explained.
His platform includes improving community resilience. He has program ideas that he believes would benefit small business competitiveness and give them a leg-up over corporations and online shopping.
He also wants to have stronger social cohesion and give people more opportunity to find where they belong in the types of work they want to do.
George would like to return Essex to the dominant agricultural producer it once was.
He would like to incentivize farmers to stop monocropping and grow food for humans, He added he would like to put programs in place to have regular, everyday citizens begin gardening and become more self-sufficient.
To him, those are the most resilient ideas for the community.
Each of the core focuses he is outlining in his campaign, he said, could improve employment opportunities. George believes they will increase the commercial tax base and could lower property taxes for residents.
The programs and focuses of his campaign, he said, outline what would need to be implemented to help people transition to a "cleaner, greener future.”
George recognizes that networking is really important in a campaign. As he moved to the area six-years ago, he is hoping residents will reach out to him and invite him to their church service to connect.
He is known by many as the Dharma Gardner, as he uses that moniker online. During his campaign, George said he is making entertaining videos. He has put together several since July on the E.L.K. sale, where he goes into financial statements and Ontario Energy Board files.
He plans to make more videos on the programs he would like to implement if elected as a Ward One Councillor, as the campaign continues to provide more details.
If given the opportunity to represent Ward One on Essex Council, George said he would treat it as a full-time job.
His videos are available on his personal YouTube and personal social media pages (Dharma Gardner).
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Joe Garon produces a four-pillar re-election campaign, leaning on experience
by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative
Joe Garon is hoping to bring nearly eight-years of municipal decision-making experience back to Essex Council this election. Through his campaign, he is speaking of using his municipal experience to date, and as a local business owner, to guide decision-making.
Garon was first elected as a Ward One Councillor in 2018.
Garon's campaign outlines a four-pillar platform. It outlines the need to secure grants and ensure fiscal responsibility; govern responsible growth, while protecting the Town's unique small town identity; and address critical road upgrades across Essex Centre and improve traffic safety. It also outlines his plan to maintain local police, fire, and emergency service resources.
He also spoke of the importance of getting funding from senior levels of government to support town initiatives.
Since Garon ran in his first election in 2018, he said many of the projects he listed then have been completed. One that is still in the works is the Essex Sports Fields. At this point, Garon thought users would be able to play on it, but there have been setbacks.
He believes there was such a focus on not driving up the tax rate that getting a grant was depended upon two heavily for this project. As a result, the Town has had to phase it in. Recently, funding was allocated for the Essex Sports Fields through the sale of E.L.K. The Town is also currently waiting to hear the results of another grant.
"We should be running around playing soccer on that next spring," Garon noted.
Garon also spoke of what is to become of the current Town-owned soccer fields and baseball diamonds on Fairview, once the Essex Sports Fields is operational. If sold, that could be money put towards the Sports Fields. Discussions also need to be had on what that property should be used for. Perhaps that could be a mix of housing, such as apartments, condos, and senior living.
When he ran in 2018, he campaigned on wanting the Highway 3 and Maidstone area developed. Since then, several businesses have been built there, including down South Talbot, creating a commercial district in Ward One.
He also spoke of several roads getting completed since 2018, including Wilson Avenue, the side streets nearing the Heritage Gardens Park, and Irwin Avenue. Garon believes the Town is doing a good job with roads.
Another initiative he ran on previously was implementing an amphitheatre at the Heritage Gardens Park. Garon said that's coming to fruition.
A few of the things that would be priorities to Garon if re-elected includes the Hanlan extension, and the trails and sidewalks linking South Talbot and the greenway to Maidstone avenue, and Talbot Street to Maidstone Avenue West.
An idea Garon has received support on is his Adopt-a-Public Space initiative, which will look to community partners to take ownership of the cleanliness of a certain area. He said during a recent walkabout meeting, it was apparent there needs to be more done to look after the downtown area.
Looking ahead, Garon does not want to go backwards.
"I don't want to have a Town Hall that's got fighting at Council meetings and in the media," Garon said, noting he believes this past Term of Council has been pretty amicable. "The way we're going right now is pretty good."
Garon is an avid volunteer in the community, including as chairperson of the Essex Fun Fest for more than a decade. He has also served on the Board of Directors for the Essex 73s for the past 16-years.
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Katie McGuire-Blais hopes to keep seat on Essex Council, would focus on completing industrial park, trails, streetscape
by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative
First elected to Essex Council in 2022, Katie McGuire-Blais is hoping to reclaim a seat at the local municipal decision-making table as a Ward One Councillor.
Over those past four-years, McGuire-Blais said there's so much to be proud of.
She is glad the Town was able to get services over to the Essex Sports Field and that grass continues to grow.
She is also proud of being part of the Term of Council that approved the Town Hall Expansion, which is wrapping-up.This project is bringing all town staff under one roof.
Part of the funding for the Essex Town Hall expansion came from the E.L.K. Legacy Reserve that this past Term of Essex Council implemented after selling the utility.
McGuire-Blais said she is sad the Town had to lose E.L.K, but she was proud of how Council handled the proceeds.
"I'm really proud that we were able to bring an alternative tax base to the Town that doesn't burden residents."
She was proud to see the Essex Centre Streetscape finished along the main downtown core of Talbot Street.
"It's beautiful," she said, even though it did come with its challenges in bringing it to fruition.
During the last term, McGuire-Blais said a lot was accomplished in Ward One. She noted there's still a lot to be done, and she would like to be part of the Council that continues to work on getting projects completed.
She would like to return to Council to finish projects she started. For instance, engineering has started for the trail from Maidstone Avenue to the Greenway on South Talbot. She wants to see that completed. She also wants to see the trail completed at Maidstone Avenue, from Talbot Street North to Talbot Street South.
McGuire-Blais also wants to see the first phase of the Essex Sports Fields, and the second phase of the Essex Center Streetscape, completed. The importance of seeing the Streetscape completed is tying it in with the new Maidstone Avenue intersection currently underway.
She would also like to see the rotted-out street poles in Essex Center be replaced. That's one of the big initiatives she believes the next Term of Council should focus on during Streetscape work.
McGuire-Blais also wants to see the completion of the Inspiration Industrial Park, which is on the other side of Highway 3. She wants to see buildings go up and proper investment done. That will increase the Town's industrial tax base, which will take pressure off of residents.
In speaking as to why residents should consider voting for her, McGuire-Blais said she reads all of each Council agendas, follows up with research, asks questions, and does not just take Town administration at their word.
"I do question what they are doing. I think I ask all of the questions that our residents would send to me, and I make sure I get those on the books. That way, if a resident has a question of what's happening, there is an answer, and it's a public answer."
She said she also gets to resident emails within a week to connect with them on their concerns or ideas.
"I'm really proud of the connections I've made over the last four-years with residents, with other levels of government, and the feedback I'm able to bring back to Essex to make the right changes," McGuire-Blais said.
"I work really hard," she said, adding she also tries to be a big voice for small businesses at the Council table.
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Randy Voakes looking to get back on Council, focusing on Ward One sports and rec enhancements
by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative
Randy Voakes is no stranger to local politics. He served as a Ward One Council rep on Essex Council for 15-years – from 2003 until 2018 – and is now looking to regain a seat at the local municipal decision-making table.
There are a few things he would really like to see happen in the next Term of Council, and he'd like to be part of implementing those ideas as a Ward One Councillor.
The first is getting movement on the future Essex Sports fields, located off of Batten Side Road. This was talked about when he was on Council previously, and he would like to see more attention poured into this project.
"It is one of those deals now, where it is sitting idle. The sign is fading out, nothing is happening, and people are very inquisitive as to what is going on out there," he said.
If he manages to regain a seat on Essex Council, Voakes wants to bring the Essex Sports fields to the forefront.
To him, it's an initiative like when he was asked to sit on the Essex Arena Expansion Committee. It was a result of sitting on that committee that Voakes was driven to throw his name as a candidate for Council back in 2003.
He recalls, at that time, everything that committee brought forward to that Term of Essex Council was rejected. He said it was felt as though it couldn't fit in the Town Budget at the time.
After he was elected to Essex Council, he said the arena eventually got its approval.
He sees the current state of the Essex Sports field similar to the timelines it took to get the Essex Center Sports Complex established, and he wants to make that a forefront issue this election.
He recalls when the Essex Center Sports Complex was still in talks that the majority of Essex residents wanted to see it built, as it is a sports town.
He would also like to see some additional attention brought to Heritage Gardens Park. It is currently hosting the pavilion, public washroom facility, the Veteran Honour Wall, and the Essex Memorial Spitfire Priscilla Monument.
"When you look in from the street, it's barren land," Voakes commented, adding he would very much like to see that developed like the waterfront in Amherstburg that has walkways, nice landscaping, nice seating, and garden areas. "It is a golden nugget waiting to shine."
Voakes commented that everyone is concerned about taxes, and he doesn't challenge them on that. He recognizes the cost of everything is high currently. He commented on the costs just to grab a few bags of groceries.
"Things are tough for people and that has to be recognized even out of the municipal level," Voakes added. But, at the same time, he spoke about the importance of needing to develop and enhance the environment, which takes money.
Voakes said there has to be a follow-up strategy when it comes to Council initiatives to ensure approved projects come to fruition. In his experience, he commented there are times projects are approved, but fall off the priority list and are not completed.
"I am anxious to have the opportunity to have the opportunity to go back to work for the people of the Town of Essex," Voakes said.
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Ward 2 Candidates
Ben Orlando focusing on drainage and bringing splash pad to Ward 2 as part of his campaign
by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative
Ben Orlando says he is a family man, a husband and father of three children between the ages of nine and one. He lives on a farm with a variety of animals and livestock, has roots in the area, and is looking to be here for a long time.
This is the foundation upon which he's standing as part of his election campaign, hoping to earn the Ward 2 - McGregor rep seat on Essex Council this election.
His experience living on the farm is what he said connects him to Ward 2 and some of the issues facing this area.
The main challenges in McGregor, he heard, include drainage and that there was supposed to be a splash pad added to the area that never came to fruition.
Bringing a splash pad to the area would be one of the priorities he would like to get done in the next Term of Council, as a father.
"I'd like to bring forward those kinds of issues, being as I have children and I do live on a farm. Those are kind of two of the things that are pretty near to my heart," Orlando said. "I think the entirety of my platform is just bringing [forward] the issues of the people. I think I can represent them in a positive manner."
In conjunction with drainage, Orlando would like to concentrate on services, such as water. He also knows there has been a lot of conversation about energy and electricity recently, because of a fair number of power outages.
He would focus on these types of services to accommodate responsible growth, while still keeping that small-town feel.
In terms of growth, Orlando believes there has to be a good balance. He would suggest some residential with a little bit of industrial. It is important to him not to start breaking up what the town is currently.
Orlando said it is important to host fundraising to complete projects, such as splash pads. He noted that there are also grants the Town can go after. That's a big part of his platform, because he does have a background being a general manager. He said he has the skill set to look into those types of grants and bring them to the Ward.
He also believes he would have a strong voice for the people.
Often, he said it is heard from others that there's nothing that can be done, or what could be done, about municipal issues, "and I thought, ‘hey, there is something I can do. I can run.’"
Orlando works in Essex Center as a General Manager, and said he has been out in the general area basically his whole life. He played hockey locally, and also played baseball for the Harrow Blues when he was 18.
He believes he could pull on his work experience to bring people together, and understands how to do that. He said he has had a fair amount of experience in putting together community events and having those types of ties to the community.
He would also lean on his hard work and ethics to conduct the proper research, alongside bringing the issues of the Ward forward at Council.
Being part of the democratic process is something Orlando is glad to be a part of.
"I'm really excited, and I hope I see people out on the campaign trail," he said.
He said he is for the people and wants to raise the issues of Ward 2 at Council.
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Kim Verbeek hoping to bring experience, solid work ethic, openness, and cooperative nature to third term
by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative
If reelected as the Ward 2 – McGregor Councillor on Essex Council, Kim Verbeek would bring her experience, solid work ethic, openness, and cooperative nature to the role.
First elected in 2018, Verbeek said it has been a privilege to serve.
"I do take this job very seriously. I do work very hard at it,” she said. If there is something she doesn’t understand, she learns more.
A few fiscally responsible things Council did this past term included having a dedicated position for grant writing. Verbeek said more money has been garnered from upper levels of government, and the Town is following up when denied.
Starting the E.L.K. Legacy Reserve with $15M of the sale of the utility was brilliant for the community, Verbeek said. Interest on the reserve alone will ensure funds yearly to support the Town's Asset Management Plan, some capital projects, and reinvestment as well, helping to stabilize tax increases.
This term, she added, whenever Council needed to use money from reserves, it was paid back with interest.
The roads plan has taken the politics out of choosing projects. The needs, conditions, and budget decide the ranking. Last term, Council increased funding for roads and infrastructure after hearing from residents.
In advocating for safety, Verbeek was able to bring school safety zones to both Ward 2 grade schools and have a traffic study audit at Concession 11 and Walker. Two outdoor AEDs have been installed.
Verbeek has served the community and helped others outside of council business. That includes her involvement with the annual Stroll by Santa, community information nights, and free clothing, food, and book giveaways. She has also organized free CPR and first aid courses.
The new Co-An playground was a huge win for this community, Verbeek said. "It's beautiful and well done." She is a member of the Co-An Park committee, which oversees its operations.
Verbeek was part of an initiative to have the former playground relocated to Hidden Creek.
She also worked to install the shade sail at the McGregor Community Center park.
"I am very much hands-on, and I love doing the work,” she said.
Verbeek has spent 12-years on the Essex Fun Fest Committee. She was also on the Affordable Housing Task Force and the Climate Adaptation Committee, which produced plans to help move Town business forward. She is also the Chairperson of the Landfill Liaison Committee.
This past term, the needle was moved on large, slow-moving files. That included work done on the developing Inspiration Industrial Park and the Essex Sports Fields. She wants to see these files continue to move forward. She can't wait to see what the Inspiration Industrial Park brings to the community, as it should create jobs. Commercial and industrial growth feed into the tax base.
She is proud of expanding the Town Hall, noting it has needed to be done for a long time.
Verbeek has also noticed an improvement in communication with Council, administration, and the community. That includes hosting open houses on drainage and flooding.
She would love to see a flooding task force and never wants to see this issue fall off the table.
"We do have eight members, and we are all in different places on this political spectrum, and yet we conducted Town business in a professional manner this term," Verbeek said.
"I'm also open to other people's input," she added. “I'm not completely set in my ways. I know when I learn better, I try to do better."
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Ward 3 Candidates
Bill Baker focusing on pace of development, infrastructure, and community character in bid for Colchester seat on Council
by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative
Having served on Essex Council from 2010 to 2014, Bill Baker has his sights set on returning to Essex Council as one of two Ward 3-Colchester reps.
Even though his 2014 bid to run for mayor was unsuccessful, Baker has continued to serve the community.
Baker has been involved on the Town of Essex's Committee of Adjustment, was also involved in the committee that created the Climate Adaptation Plan, sat on the Task Force that created the Affordable Housing Strategic Plan, participated in a committee that heard flooding concerns from residents, and was a committee member that reviewed the Colchester Secondary Plan.
"I have been committed and have been involved since my last election, and I continue to be involved," he said.
Baker’s professional background spans from airport development, to healthcare, technology, and manufacturing. He is currently working as a senior project manager as part of a company that offers business software for major corporations.
Some of Baker’s priorities for Colchester include pace of development, infrastructure, and community character. That goes along with flooding and drainage issues.
There is a development pipeline in Colchester at varying levels of approval. The Town's infrastructure capacity and the character of the community needs to be considered when determining if that pace of development is wanted.
That's why he believes it is important the Town reviews the Colchester Secondary Plan, which will allow the Town to map boundaries for growth. The character of the community is a big issue out there, Baker said.
Development should be looked at very carefully before it takes place.
Infrastructure and determining the capacity available to accommodate future growth are also important. He pointed to discussions that happened at Essex Council this past term that highlighted adding a wastewater management facility to Colchester would cost somewhere around $40M.
Communication and accountability are important focuses, Baker noted.
"The community needs to know where we're at, at what level...in terms of our development."
Residents shouldn't have to keep asking where the Town is at with a certain project. There needs to be key indicators for the Town to go back to the community and show the things being committed.
Baker also spoke about the budget. He wants to focus on fiscal responsibility. What Baker would like to see is more money going into asset management instead of debt servicing. Getting up to date with core assets, like roads, is important.
Running a municipality is not much different than running a household budget. He said wants and needs have to be known, in addition to limits.
"Every major decision today can affect what we're doing tomorrow and being able to afford it," Baker said.
Baker also spoke about the need for balanced representation. Wants and needs should be balanced with cost. That is the type of Councillor he wants to be.
He also plans to be engaged with residents.
The other key factor, he said, is to work in collaboration with other Council members.
“That's how you get things done. It's not about just what you think you want, it's about how you can balance it with the rest of the community.”
"I do want to be a strong voice for Ward 3. There are many issues that are very important right now."
He said he brings a lot of experience in governance also. He said it is also important for a Council rep to be able to ask the right questions, so they can respond to resident needs.
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Chris Vander Doelen looking to bring experience to Essex Council as Colchester rep
by Sylene Argent Local Journalism Initiative
As an individual who spent his career as a journalist, Chris Vander Doelen says he learned about local politics, budgeting, and how municipalities work. And experience is an important characteristic to bring to the local decision-making table.
Vander Doelen was elected to Essex Council in 2018 and served for one term. He is hoping to get reelected this election, as one of the two Ward 3 – Colchester reps.
"I have the knowledge, I have the experience, and I have the common sense to do this job properly," Vander Doelen said.
Twenty-seven-years-ago, Vander Doelen and his wife moved to Ward 3. It was the best move he ever made.
"We both really love living here, and we would like to keep it that way. That is why I ran for Council the first time, and that is why I'm running again," Vander Doelen said.
The area, Vander Doelen said, is a great place to live, with just a few minor flaws. One of which is that there are high taxes.
“One of the things I am proud of from my first term on Council was that I suggested the first of the last two [tax] freezes we had."
Vander Doelen said "that doesn't mean we stop doing the necessary work." The budget is approaching $100M a year. A lot can be done with that money.
"We need sensible representation." He said it has been better lately than from what it was a few years ago. But there is still time, energy, and money wasted on things that are really no business of a municipal government.
"That's why I'd like to say what we need is common sense representation.
"He added that is something he learned by following, analyzing, and talking to government as a journalist. He believes he wrote more than 10,000 stories to The Windsor Star, most of which were about the government.
"That's why I really am qualified to do this job. I understand how budgets work, administration thinks, how governments interact with each other. It's a pretty complex dance, and if you're looking at it for the first time it can be pretty intimidating."
He said newly elected Councillors just don't know the ropes. One interesting aspect about this Ward 3 race, is that four individuals of the six running have previous Council experience.
"I am urging voters to look at the records of the people running: what did they stand for, what did they do? I'm proud of my record. I hope people look at it or at least remember it," Vander Doelen said.
Another project he was proud of during his term on Essex Council was bringing internet to rural areas through SWIFT. He said some individuals have forgotten how bad it was previously.
"I was the one who fought loudest, longest, and hardest to get internet on the back roads, and now we have it everywhere.”
He said he was essential in Council not supporting a request to accommodate firework storage.
"That is the kind of basic job I think a Council needs to do," he said.
Allowing for the creation of more apartments for seniors and young individuals in Essex is important.
Sensible development like that, Vander Doelen said, helps keep taxes down. One of the reasons taxes have risen relentlessly is because there has been so little decent development.
One thing he is passionate about in his personal life is trees.
Being a Councillor is a complicated job for a newcomer, he noted. "People should try and hire experts wherever they can."
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Corey St. Onge focusing on proper and good use planning in bid for Colchester seat on Essex Council
by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative
Ward 3 – Colchester candidate Corey St. Onge grew up in Essex, and moved back in in 2019. He is married with two boys, and likes to be involved as much as he can.
St. Onge is a Project Manager for Valente Development, and also runs his own drafting and design and construction business.
"I have a lot of background in management, budgeting, and planning," St. Onge said. "I have taken developments from raw fields right straight through to building 100 homes on them. To me, that experience is something Council lacks.”
He said he has experience running $60M budgets, and running a Town budget is not that different.
St. Onge would focus on proper planning and good use planning. For example, there are several developments planned for Colchester. He wondered if Colchester could support the developments planned.
"I can bring that perspective of the developer, of the builder, and say 'yeah it is a great idea, I would love to see the development, but is it actually going to work?'"
He spoke of how "we could very easily turn Colchester and Harrow into more of a tourism [area] by bringing in strategic businesses and partnering with strategic developers on certain things...I think that would make the whole Harrow and Colchester area flourish."
As an Essex Councillor, St. Onge would also focus on proper budgeting. He believes the sale of E.L.K. was a great maneuver of this Term of Council. It's all about proper budgeting, accounting, and seeing what the community needs, like the new soccer complex going up.
He understands why Fire Station 3 will be located at the Harrow Soccer Complex. But that also took away from parking. It could have been better thought-out.
This Term of Council has lacked community engagement. He plans to ask what residents need by conducting polls, monthly meetings, or get-togethers.
St. Onge voiced frustration with the period of time he said it has taken other Councillors to respond to his inquiries. He is the type of person who will respond promptly.
He also spoke of the importance of proper fiscal management and planning. Recently, St. Onge said Council has done a good job with planning capital projects. It's about ensuring that continues on, so there is a five and 10-year plan going forward.
He believes in asset management planning. In his own life, he believes if you can't pay cash, it's not affordable.
St. Onge said he can bring his business experience to Council, which seems to be lacking.
The incumbent Mayor, St. Onge, added, has done a great job on changing things from the way they were.
St. Onge trying to run a fiscally responsible campaign as possible. He said he has not accepted a single donation, because he does not want to be beholden to anyone.
Fiscal responsibility is important because today there are people who can't afford homes. He would also like to bring in some kind of affordability or grant program to get developers to build more affordable homes. If developers were given a break on Development Charges, potentially home prices could lower.
It pains him Essex Non-Profit Homes is having to sell some units. Now, there are families who may have to leave the community because they can't afford to buy here. There are opportunities he would love to explore so people could stay.
“I think I can bring a fresh set of eyes to it and see what can the municipality do to kind of help this.”
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Ron Rogers hoping to return as Colchester rep on Essex Council, says he has experience taxpayers can trust
by Sylene Argent Local Journalism Initiative
Ron Rogers is hoping to once again be one of two Ward 3 – Colchester reps on Essex Council.
Over the past 30-years or so years, he has served on Council for 12-years.
His first stint as a municipal decision-maker was in 1992 for Colchester South Township. He was part of a committee that helped to make amalgamation go as smoothly.
Rogers said he supported Sherry Bondy as Mayor of the past term, and believes she has been a breath of fresh air in her approach and communications.
"I believe we are on a positive progression. I don't want to see the Town go sideways."
As someone with past experience on Council, Rogers said he is not one to go out and make promises. A Councillor is only one voice at the table.
His prime drive, having been on Council in the past, and going forward if afforded that opportunity, is that he listens to people, looks at the issues, and tries to educate himself as best as he can before voting. Rogers votes for what is the most positive outcome for the most people involved.
There are some issues Rogers would like to address with Council, but they are issues everyone is looking at, including drainage, flooding, and development.
There has been interest for development in Ward 3 and a push for more, but it can't jump ahead like Ward 1 has done.
"We don't have the backup infrastructure to accommodate it at this point in time, and we still have a lot of the drainage issues and a lot of the flooding," he said. Ward 3 also doesn't have the infrastructure, like roads.
A 400 unit development in Colchester could bring in potentially another thousand people into the village. The capacity to handle that is not there, he believes.
While there are some developments underway in Colchester, Rogers would caution Council accepting and pushing for them when there are a few subdivisions in Harrow he believes are not taking off the way they should.
He would like the Town to work with upper tiers of government to promote affordable housing in developments already in the works. In working with upper tiered governments, perhaps there can be some kind of plan in place to offer subsidies to developers to include appropriate affordable communities within their development.
Colchester is a great area for tourism, but "let's look after the people we have and look after the issues we have with the people who are already here and calling us home, and take controlled steps towards increased visitation."
When Rogers had the opportunity to serve, he was very involved in what was going on in other areas of the Town of Essex.
One initiative for which he is proud was using grant funding to add street lights at rural intersections to improve safety. He noted that there were some areas where they couldn't be installed, because there was no hydro available.
"People don't even realize what it was like to be driving home or looking for a beach road at night with no lights on anything."
Overall, he feels his “time on Council has been spent in a positive manner towards our community at large. I can continue that. I have the experience a ratepayer can trust. And I'm not going to do something that is going to be adverse for our community."
He does not have individuals behind him with their own agendas. He also doesn't have a personal agenda.
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Ward 4 Candidates
Deb Peters would bring hard work, integrity to Essex Council as Harrow rep
by Sylene Argent Local Journalism Initiative
Ward 4 – Harrow candidate in the Essex Municipal Election, Deb Peters, is not afraid of hard work as a small business owner. She also considers herself a trustworthy person. Those are the characteristics upon what she would stand if elected.
She is running because she believes Harrow deserves someone on Council who will fight to make sure taxes protect homes, fix basic infrastructure, and breathe new life into the community.
"It is time we got somebody that has a little drive to get up and get stuff done," Peters said. "And drive I do have."
Peters put her name forward as a candidate because she was tired of nothing being done in Harrow, especially when it comes to sewers. She wants to investigate ways to mitigate flooding issues.
Individuals have been told they need to fix flooding and drainage issues themselves, Peters heard. She doesn't believe that's right. She believes whoever put in the drainage infrastructure in a subdivision, for instance, should be responsible.
Revitalizing pump stations and prioritizing municipal drain maintenance to keep up with intense rainfalls would be a priority. She would also want to expand or streamline municipal subsidy programs for homeowners.
Harrow is in need of more businesses to create some competition.
"I think we would be able to flourish a little bit more if we were able to put up some more businesses."
As a Councillor, she would be interested in reaching out to larger corporations to attract businesses to the area, as she has tried to do in the past. There is not a lot of vacancy in Harrow currently for new businesses to move into currently, though. Nothing in Harrow can be expanded in terms of growth because Peters believes there is not enough capacity to accommodate that in terms of drainage and sanitary infrastructure.
The closing of Harrow District High School and the one elementary school put a damper on growth, she believes. Peters said many families do not want their kids bussed to school, which may make them choose living in another community.
She supports sensible, attainable infill housing, so young couples can actually afford to buy a home in town.
What she would like to see is something available to occupy the teenagers. That could be a drop in center which could be run by volunteer retirees. That would provide somewhere for the kids to go and provide seniors an opportunity to feel needed. Perhaps a program can be initiated to feed those kids, as well.
One of the things Peters would like to do is accommodate seniors. She would like to see people go knock on the doors of their first five neighbours to the right and the left. That way, people can get to know one another. She sees this as a way for people to connect.
Peters wondered if they would then be able to rely on each other if there was an instance where one neighbour needed a new roof after damage from a storm, for instance. What would be wrong with the community coming together to help one another fix that damage. It is just about everyone helping each other.
"I am one of these people that 'let's get 'er done, if we're going to get 'er done.’ I don't lie," Peters said. "Anyone that knows me can trust me."
Above all, Peters said she is most proud of her daughters and having been able to watch them grow into independent women.
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Rachael Mills offers three commitments as part of Ward 4 campaign: care, community, and accountability
by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative
photo submitted
For Ward 4 – Harrow candidate Rachael Mills, the call to be more connected to the community came into focus during the beginning of the COVID shutdown.
Mills said she is a neighbour and didn't really gear up her whole life to be a "politician."
"I did decide, though, I could do more for my community, and I wanted to contribute. I would be honoured to show up with our voices and the energy, effort, and care this role needs to be a really successful Councillor and a person people can trust and come to."
Heading into this campaign, she is offering a platform of three commitments: care, community, and accountability.
To her, care is about this place, people, local businesses, infrastructure, and spaces and services depended on every day. She wants to advocate that they are invested in and maintained.
Since moving to Harrow, Mills has been driven by things she has heard, which included flood mitigation. She wants to focus on what residents, Council, developers, and upper levels of government can do together to help.
She also wants to ensure long-term, sustainable decisions are made, leverage appropriate upper-level government funding and support, and also ensure residents, businesses, and local partners have their voices at the table. She would also like to see intentional management plans for natural areas and natural infrastructure.
In terms of community, Mills said it is important to have growth that reflects"who we are and the community we want to live in."
She would focus on appropriate industrial growth to support the tax base in the areas that are well suited for it, exploring commercial space in higher density and mixed-use development, and – most importantly to her – provide a range of housing options grounded in responsible land use planning and zoning. That can help ensure neighbours can come to the area, or stay rooted there, as their needs evolve.
In terms of the third pillar of her campaign, Mills said accountability is about being committed to showing up as a Councillor asking questions, working collaboratively, finding passionate and sustainable solutions, and being open and responsible with the stewardship of public funds and spaces that residents can count on.
"I am not afraid to evolve with new information. I am not afraid to be approached with new information or a new perspective. I am committed to grounding my vote in evidence, diverse community input, and really the long-term well-being of both Harrow and the Town of Essex.”
She said she has diverse experience in healthcare, customer service, and connecting people to opportunities through the recruitment role she currently has with Canadian Tire.
Through these experiences and the skills she's gained from them, "I really do believe I can bring a grounded, people-first perspective to the decisions that are really important, because they shape our everyday lives and our shared future."
She has connected to Harrow more deeply through a lot of volunteering since moving to the area. One of the opportunities that brings her the most pride is being involved with the Harrow & Colchester South Chamber of Commerce.
"That's been an excellent opportunity to really connect with people and get a little bit more behind the scenes of what drives our community."
She has also spent time engaging with Council and meeting agendas.
She and her partner, Greg, recognize Harrow as a gem and see how much it has to offer residents, businesses, and visitors.
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Rodney Hammond focuses on flooding,
responsible spending, uniting wards in Harrow rep campaign
by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative
Rodney Hammond is hoping to regain the Ward 4 - Harrow candidate seat on Essex Council, and is focusing on tackling flooding in the area, getting excessive spending under control, and further uniting the four wards of the municipality as part of his reelection campaign.
First elected to the position in 2022, Hammond said the past four-years have been eye-opening.
"Should I get reelected, I want to for sure tackle our flooding issues here in Harrow. They tend to keep getting magnified with every new build. It's definitely something I want to get addressed. I think it's been ignored far too long."
He believes a thorough survey needs to be done of the whole situation. If there isn't a knowledgeable idea of what's going to happen if homes are built in a certain area, then everyone nearby may have to pay the consequences.
"I want to find out what's going on before we start building any more houses," Hammond said.
Hammond said he also wants to get excessive spending under control. "I think we've been paying too much in taxes the last four-years. I think the increases aren't doing what they're supposed to do."
The $13M Essex Center Sports Fields being developed off of Batten Side Road is one area he would focus on to save money.
In the past term of Essex Council, after selling E.L.K. Energy, it was decided to put a portion of the sale proceeds (around $3.3M) towards the Essex Sports Fields project.
He said he wasn't overly excited about selling E.L.K., but now that they have the money, he wishes they would do better with it than spending it on sports fields.
"We have sports facilities here in Harrow that are closing, that aren't being used. And then they want to spend $13M on one in Essex that we aren't going to use," Hammond pointed out.
He said they are already paying for two ice pads in Essex Center, and to his understanding, they aren't being used.
"We want our share, too," Hammond said.
One thing lacking in Harrow is kids, Hammond said. "A lot of our smaller family homes are now being used by retirees, and a lot more retirees have moved into the area over the years. We are lacking children to use these facilities."
While those are his priorities, Hammond said those on Council have to be flexible and be able to roll with the punches.
"It's just making sure that we think everything through before we jump on the bandwagon and proceed in a haphazard way and suffer the consequences when we haven't realized a problem ahead," he said.
Hammond is happy to have helped bring some traffic studies to the Harrow area. He said that took four-years to get going.
Growing up in Harrow and Colchester, Hammond said he grew up in what was thought of as one community. "We went to school together, we played sports together, and when one hurt, we all hurt. That oneness has been broken, and it started with the closing of Harrow High School."
Now, along with provincially imposed amalgamation, "our community has been severed into four, all competing for the same thing."
One thing that struck him during his term as a Councillor is the need to try harder over the next four-years to marry the municipality’s communities into one.
"That will require open minds, sacrifices, and the communities’ commitment to make this marriage work. Help me make this marriage work," Hammond requested of residents.
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School Board Trustee
David Keller puts fiscal responsibility at centre of trustee bid
by Greg Layson
Retired Greater Essex County District School Board teacher, David Keller, is putting fiscal responsibility at the centre of his second bid for the Essex/Kingsville School Board Trustee seat.
The former transportation technology teacher said he wants greater scrutiny of how education dollars are spent, while protecting programs that directly benefit students.
"I'm concerned about the financial situation of the School Board," Keller said, a mechanic by trade who spent more than a decade teaching after returning to school himself. "I do not want it to be taken over by the province."
Ontario has placed several school boards under provincial supervision in recent years because of financial and governance concerns, stripping elected trustees of some or all of their decision-making authority.
Keller's campaign comes just as the board emerges from several years of financial pressure. It was required to enter a multi-year financial recovery plan after successive deficits, but its $581.5M budget for 2026-27 meets the requirements of that plan and projects a $185,468 surplus for Ministry of Education compliance purposes.
Keller said he also wants to give the community a greater voice before major decisions are made, rather than communicating with residents after decisions have already been reached.
He pointed to the closure of Harrow District High School and the naming of Erie Migration District School in Kingsville as examples of board decisions and processes he disagreed with.
When difficult budget decisions have to be made, Keller said he wants funding protected for programs that directly affect students, singling out arts and technology programs.
It's an issue he encountered firsthand as a transportation technology teacher. Keller said he sometimes struggled to secure funding for his program and, like many teachers, occasionally paid for classroom supplies out of his own pocket.
Keller also pointed to class sizes as a concern, saying he has heard from current educators about increasingly crowded classrooms. He also cited increased violence in schools as an issue that needs attention.
Keller isn't alone in his view on violence. A 2023 survey by the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario found four in five members believed there were more incidents of violence in schools than when they began working in the public system.
Keller supports Ontario's decision to tie attendance and classroom participation more closely to final grades. Under recent revisions, 15% of a final grade in grades 9 and 10 will derive from attendance and participation, while 10% will in grades 11 and 12. Keller said his experience teaching hands-on technology courses showed him how difficult it can be for students to succeed when they regularly miss class.
"If you're not there, we did very little book work and it was mostly hands-on with my students," he said.
Keller said he decided to run again after finishing a close second in his first bid for trustee and believes his experience as an educator would give him a useful perspective at the board table.
Asked what would make a four-year term a success, Keller returned to his central concern: the board's finances.
"If the board isn't taken over by the provincial government and they get a little more fiscally responsible, I'd be pretty happy with that," he said.
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Jenna Knapp’s trustee bid focuses on student supports, communication
by Greg Layson
School board trustee candidate Jenna Knapp says students need to be at the centre of all board decisions.
The Mortgage Agent and mother of three in the Greater Essex County District School Board says improving student supports and communication between the board, schools and families would be among her priorities.
“Every student deserves the right to succeed,” Knapp said. “We need to bring that focus of our decisions as a board back to, ‘How does this decision affect our students within the school?’”
Knapp said she has seen the issues facing schools firs-thand through four years of volunteering on parent council, including the past two years as chair.
Knapp said her experience has left her concerned that decisions made at the board level are becoming disconnected from what is happening inside schools.
“We need to work on better communication between all parties because that is very lacking,” she said. “I'm not running just to say I have all the answers, but I want to be that person willing to listen.”
Knapp said there is a lack of support for students who are struggling academically, particularly with literacy.
While scores were up slightly, provincial Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) results released Sept. 25 show one in four Grade 3 students did not meet Ontario's reading standard in 2025-26, while one in three fell short of the writing standard.
Knapp said class sizes and supports for students with different learning needs are also among concerns she hears from parents and educators.
She said trustees need to look for ways to preserve classroom resources when faced with difficult budget decisions rather than immediately implementing cuts.
“There has to be a solution in making this work,” Knapp said. “We need to put more money into our kids.”
Asked where the board should find money when faced with limited resources, Knapp said trustees should look at reducing administrative expenses and seek more opportunities for community groups, businesses and corporations to contribute to schools.
Ontario allows private and corporate donations to schools, although provincial guidelines stipulate that money raised must supplement, rather than replace, public education funding.
When asked specifically which programs or services she would prioritize protecting, Knapp did not identify any, saying she would rather first explore ways to avoid cuts altogether.
“I don’t want it to be, ‘What should we be taking away?’” she said. “I want it to be, ‘Let’s lay this out and figure out how we can make everything work.’”
Knapp also supports Ontario's decision to tie attendance and classroom participation more closely to students' final grades, saying regular attendance teaches responsibility and prepares students for the workplace.
“If we're not encouraging our students now at this age that showing up for themselves in school is important, then what are we showing them when they go out to get a job?” Knapp said.
She acknowledged there are legitimate reasons for students to miss school, including illness, emergencies and bereavement.
Asked what would make a four-year term successful, Knapp returned to her central theme: better communication.
“If we’re all on the same page and collectively trying to find solutions to problems, that would be my biggest focus,” she said.
