During the 2022 municipal election campaign, then-Councillor Ross Kentner told supporters that, if elected mayor, he would serve one term, and last week Mayor Kentner officially announced on social media that he would not be seeking re-election this year.
“As we near the end of the four-year municipal election cycle and nominations have opened for the municipal election on October 26th, it’s important that I share my intentions with electors,” Mayor Kentner posted on his Facebook page. “I have been honoured to serve residents of the Municipality of Meaford for nearly eight years – first as a councillor and now as mayor. It is time to thank you for the support I have received and to pass the torch to the next generation of municipal leaders.”
Kentner also noted that Deputy Mayor Shirley Keaveney, who has registered to run for mayor in the October 26 municipal election, has his support.
“You should also know that Deputy Mayor Shirley Keaveney has my confidence. We do not always agree, but we have worked respectfully together, and she is well-positioned to lead the Municipality of Meaford forward. She is a hard worker who still finds time to volunteer. She is well informed and connected, open-minded, and willing to engage with anyone. She has also led the charge on affordable housing and doctor recruitment – areas of provincial responsibility that still require municipal persistence if progress is to be made,” said Kentner.
Asked by The Independent if he has enjoyed the eight years that he has served on council, four years as councillor and the last four years as mayor, Kentner said that it has been a privilege to hold the office.
“Most definitely. To have a second career after broadcasting, which is such a public facing field…I never imagined the possibility. As for the mayoralty, it is such a privilege to hold that office. I arrived in the town of Meaford on Thanksgiving weekend in 1956 and have been giving thanks ever since. I wanted to give back to the community that nurtured and encouraged me as a young person. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with fellow councillors, staff, developers, and community members,” Kentner told The Independent.
While he has enjoyed his two terms on council, Kentner said that it has been a learning experience.
“Even though I had rubbed shoulders with the municipal world in broadcasting, nothing can prepare you for its complexity. Running a municipality is like running a business, except it’s not! It’s a dance. If the business world is like rock and roll, the municipal world is like an Argentine tango! There’s a formality you have to acquire that engenders respect and you need respect for one another to function within the framework for municipal decision-making,” Kentner noted.
Mayor Kentner expressed pride in the accomplishments of this term of council, from the development of municipal staff, to the municipality’s acquisition of 30 acres of commercial/industrial lands, to the replacement of two bridges on the Holland-Sydenham townline after a nearly nine-year battle with neighbour Chatsworth.
“CAO Shawn Everitt has brought some great talent on board. New Directors of Corporate, Community, and Development Services. All local, experienced, and dedicated. We now have people working on Economic Development and Community Growth and that’s reflected on Sykes St. from one end to the other. Tell me another small urban centre where someone is building new storefronts and apartments in the downtown core as we are seeing on Collingwood St.,” Kentner shared. “A total of 30 acres bounded by Highway 26 S., Muir St. and Grey Rd. 7. If Ontario Pumped Storage goes forward we will be able to accommodate some supply chain industries in Meaford. We also have employment land available in other locations and council is looking to rationalize our holdings to close gaps in our housing stock, promote in-filling, and develop new revenue streams.”
Kentner said that during his two terms on council, the municipality has seen significant growth, which he expects will continue in the years to come.
“I was confident our municipality was growing and now we know that our population is 12,652, a 7% increase since 2021. A lot of that growth is in rural Meaford and I believe there is more to come. I’m excited at the events held in Leith, Annan, Bognor, and Riverside, and that Woodford Hall has become home to amateur theatre,” Kentner shared.
As mayor, Kentner also saw the province impose the controversial Strong Mayor Powers on more than 200 of Ontario’s 444 municipalities, including Meaford.
“I used Strong Mayor Powers responsibly, taking the lead on the 2026 budget with the collaboration of our finance and communications departments, fully engaging Council, and with no intention of asserting veto powers,” Kentner told The Independent. “I have encouraged each member of Council to champion their personal concerns by bringing forward motions. Just one example is Deputy Mayor Keaveney’s motions that have moved the needle on doctor recruitment.”
A highlight for Mayor Kentner was the re-naming of the former Billy Bishop airport.
“One of the highlights for me was the re-naming of the Major General Richard Rohmer Meaford International Airport. Look for the possibility that a fly-in community will develop there in time,” suggested Kentner.
While Kentner points to many accomplishments during his time on council, he also conceded that some goals have not been achieved, though he said that he will be leaving his mayoral post with the Municipality of Meaford in a better position than when he was first elected councillor in 2018.
“Of course, but I believe the Municipality of Meaford is in a much stronger economic position than in 2018 and may eventually lead Grey County in the proportion of its citizens occupying lower demographic columns than some other first tiers,” suggested Kentner.
The mayor also assured residents that he will continue to serve the municipality until the end of this term.
“Please understand that I intend to continue working hard as your mayor until the day I place our Chain of Office on your next mayor,” Kentner wrote on social media last week.
As of the writing of this article, Shirley Keaveney remains the sole candidate for mayor, though the nomination period does not end until August 21.
One candidate, Adam Vaughan, has registered to run for a regular council seat thus far.
In addition to voting for council candidates, voters will also elect school board trustees on October 26. One candidate filed their paperwork to run for French Public School Board Trustee, incumbent Eric Lapointe, and one candidate, Angela Forder, has registered to run for English Public School Board Trustee.
Anyone planning to run for council or school board trustee will have until August 21 to register their candidacy.
Election information, including the unofficial list of registered candidates can be found at: https://www.meaford.ca/en/our-government/election.aspx
