The race in the upcoming municipal election is heating up, as there's only one week left to file nomination papers.
A handful of residents have thrown their hat in the ring, while one candidate may have developed second thoughts.
Chris Glassford, a candidate running for council in Ward 5 (Wallaceburg) had posted on Facebook that he has decided to "step down". However, Election Coordinator Lucas Chambers says none of the candidates, including Glassford have "been in to officially withdraw from the election".
Below is a current list of people running for a position on Chatham-Kent council. The names in bold are those who filed their papers this week.
Ward 1 – West Kent (Two seats)
- Mark Authier (current councillor)
- Bryon Fluker (current councillor)
- Melissa Harrigan
- Mark Pastorius
- Tanya Bondy
- Trevor Thompson (current councillor)
- Frank Vercouteren (current councillor)
- Mary Clare Latimer
- Art Stirling
- Henry Svec
- MaryAnn Hawthorne
- David VanDamme (current councillor)
- Steve Pinsonneault (current councillor)
- Joe Faas (current councillor)
- Jessica Brooks
- Patricia Sylvain
- Steven Scott
- Joey Cyples
- Dylan Robert McLay
- Carmen McGregor (current councillor)
- Randy McNeil
- Chris Glassford
- Aaron Hall
- Nicolas Cadotte
- Brock McGregor (current councillor)
- Michael Bondy (current councillor)
- Doug Sulman (current councillor)
- Les Banks
- Marjorie Crew
- James Thompson
- Larry Vellinga
- Ryan Jackson
- Chris June
- Kirk Hooker
- Karen Kirkwood-Whyte
- Drew Simpson
As for those running for a trustee position on local school boards, an updated list is below.
Lambton-Kent District School Board
Wards 1-3 (Two seats) – Scott McKinlay, D. Randy Campbell, and Chris White
Wards 4-5 (One seat) – Janet Barnes
Ward 6 (Two seats) – Derek Robertson, Ruth Ann Dodman, and Shannon Sasseville
St. Clair Catholic District School Board
Wards 1-2 (One seat) – Brenda Rumble
Ward 3 (One seat) – Carol Bryden, and Patricia Pook
Wards 4-5 (One seat) – Van Heck
Ward 6 (One seat) – David Argenti and John Mrnik
French Separate Conseil Scolaire Catholique Providence
Chatham-Kent (Two seats) – Louise Aitken and Robert (Bob) Demers
French Public – Conseil Scolaire Viamonde
Chatham-Kent and surrounding areas (One seat) – Pierre Lambert
Blackburn News will provide weekly stories to keep the community up-to-date on who is running in this fall’s municipal election.