With time ticking down towards this fall’s municipal elections, the North Renfrew Times has stepped forward to host two all-candidates’ meetings for local voters.
The first meeting will be held Wednesday, October 12 at the Deep River Legion for candidates running for election to Deep River council.
The following night, Thursday, October 13, the NRT will sponsor a meeting at the township hall in Stonecliffe for candidates running in the townships of Head, Clara & Maria.
Both meetings will run from 7-9 pm. Candidates will have an opportunity to make an opening statement, and Doug Tennant will act as moderator for voters to ask questions.
“We felt it was important to give the community an opportunity to hear from the candidates in real time and have the chance to ask questions so they are well informed before they cast their ballots,” said NRT publisher Kelly Lapping.
It will be the first time the NRT has hosted all-candidates meetings in the area.
Meetings have been sponsored in the past by the Deep River Community Association, North Renfrew United Landowners Association, and others.
In Deep River, a total of eight candidates will be on the municipal ballot.
In the race for five seats as councillors, four incumbents – Will Fitton, Christina Giardini, Terry Myers and Kathy Hughes – will be joined on the ballot by newcomer Tom Vaughan and by Larry Dumoulin, who previously ran for mayor in 2018.
Meanwhile, two candidates will face off for the position of reeve – incumbent Glenn Doncaster and challenger Cathy Ryan, a former Deep River Police officer.
Mayor Sue D’Eon has been returned to office for another term by acclamation.
In Head, Clara, Maria, there will be a choice for both mayor and council as former mayor Bob Reid filed his nomination to run against incumbent Debbi Grills, who defeated Reid in 2018.
Six candidates will challenge for the four positions as councillor – incumbents Ernie Villeneuve, Chris Dowser and Fran Kelly-Chamberlain will be running against newcomer Rachel Richer, former mayor and councillor Jim Gibson, and Karen LeClerc, who is new to Head, Clara, Maria council but previously served in the former townships of Rolph, Buchanan, Wylie & McKay.
Municipal election day is October 24.
An advance poll will be held in Head, Clara, Maria this Saturday, October 1 from 10 am to 4 pm at the township hall.
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