With two current members of council opting not to seek re-election on October 26, there will be at least two new faces on council after election day, and potentially more depending on how many candidates register before the August 21 deadline, and how those candidates fare against more experienced incumbents.
The two members of the current term of council who are not seeking re-election are Mayor Ross Kentner, and long-time member of council, Harley Greenfield.
Kentner has served two terms on council, the first as councillor after being elected in 2018, and in 2022 he was elected mayor for the current term of council, which will end on November 15. The council elected on October 26 will be sworn in on Monday, November 16.
Greenfield on the other hand will leave council at the end of this term after nearly three decades in municipal governance.
Greenfield has been a member of Meaford’s council for all of the 21 years that I have lived here. First elected to St. Vincent Township council in 1997, Greenfield has been in the municipal governance world for nearly three decades. After amalgamation in 2001, Greenfield served on the Municipality of Meaford’s council for eight terms. While he is a regular councillor today, Greenfield has also served as Deputy Mayor for three of his terms on council.
Nobody has served on the Municipality of Meaford’s council longer than Harley Greenfield, and three decades of experience will not easily be replaced.
Councillor Greenfield has an extensive knowledge of Meaford’s history, and he is always willing to share that knowledge whether in the council chamber or on the street. That knowledge of Meaford’s history, combined with nearly three decades of municipal governance experience, has been valuable in the council chamber, and Greenfield has often been able to bring some historical context to the issues of the day.
I have been sitting in municipal council chambers in three different municipalities since the 1980s, and I began reporting on Meaford’s council back in 2009. In those 17 years I have not seen many Meaford council members display more dedication to the job of municipal councillor than Greenfield, always ensuring that the entirety of the municipality is considered, not just the urban area. Greenfield has always arrived at the council chamber prepared, and he always has good questions to ask no matter the issue, and it is always clear that he has done his homework prior to arriving at the council chamber.
Greenfield is also a creative soul, having written and acted in a number of plays based on local history. He has also worked to preserve Meaford’s history, and to expand the cultural experiences available in the municipality.
As is noted in his bio on the municipal website, “Harley played a crucial role in the saving, restoring, and reopening of Meaford Hall, transforming it into a vibrant cultural and entertainment hub in rural Ontario. His efforts also extended to maintaining and expanding numerous parks and trail systems, enhancing community recreation and natural spaces. Additionally, he was instrumental in the purchase and refurbishment of the building at Sykes and Trowbridge, leading to the creation of a dynamic Meaford Public Library that serves as a key resource for the community.”
One of the things that some criticize Greenfield for, though I have always admired it, is his willingness to change his mind. Over the years I have seen councillors dig their heels in, and defend their initial position on an issue, even when presented with new information, while Greenfield has never had an issue with changing his stance. Some call that ‘flip flopping’, I call that an open-minded councillor who puts the municipality before personal bias or ego, and makes his decisions based on what he thinks is best for the municipality. I haven’t always agreed with Greenfield’s positions, but I have always respected them, as I know that his stance comes from experience and a desire to do what he feels is best for the municipality.
Greenfield will certainly be missed on council.
Experience isn’t everything of course, and as candidates continue to jump into the race, we will all be evaluating them based upon our own criteria. Many of us have a vision of what makes for a perfect council, or as perfect as one could be in this imperfect world. I like to see a mix of genders and ages, and a blend of sound knowledge and experience along with fresh faces with new ideas, and a willingness to challenge the more experienced members of council to think outside the box. So in my view a mix of experience and inexperience is perfectly fine, and may even be beneficial for a municipal council.
I have had some folks suggest to me during previous election years that they would like to see all seven members of council tossed to the curb in favour of a council filled with fresh new faces who might lack experience but would have a feisty energy and a new approach. Be careful what you wish for, I always suggest.
Whatever you are looking for in the candidates for council this year’s election, be sure to do your homework, and in September, as we do each election year, we will be publishing our special election issue of our newspaper that will have the photos and bios of all of the registered candidates, which will help you to sift through the candidates and decide who will receive your votes.
We know we will have a new mayor and a new deputy mayor for the next term of council. Currently we have just one candidate for each of those positions, both current members of council. I am always interested to see who will challenge for the mayor and deputy mayor positions, and hopefully soon a candidate or two will step forward and register their candidacy so that we have a contest for those positions. In the last municipal election Deputy Mayor Shirley Keaveney was not challenged, and therefore won by acclamation, and acclamations are not healthy for the democratic process, so I am hoping to see challengers for both of those positions before the nomination period ends.
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
