The municipal election in Chatham-Kent (CK) is over six months away, but one councillor is already counting the days until he can officially hang up his hat.
Trevor Thompson confirmed to CK News Today that he has no plans on running again.
He explained that he no longer has the drive needed to do the job.
"It requires, if you want to do it properly, a 100 per cent. And given enough time, if you're doing it properly, you'll burn yourself out," he explained.
In his own words, Thompson believes he hasn't been the best representative for South Kent during this last term.
He's represented Ward 2 throughout his 12-year run in municipal politics.
Thompson was first elected in 2014, before being re-elected in 2018 and 2022.
During the first two elections, he received the most votes in Ward 2. Thompson finished second in 2022 behind Anthony Ceccacci.
He described his three terms as separate eras.
"The first four years were my walk on the moon. The next term, the pandemic term, was an asterisk term. This final term, I burnt out almost immediately," said Thompson.
Now that his time as a councillor is coming to an end, he's had the chance to think about where the municipality is heading. While Thompson doesn't know how much credit CK's council deserves, he does believe the municipality is better now than when he first started.
"We've seen growth, we've seen things improve, and I think the municipality is primed for great things," added Thompson.
He also had some parting advice for anyone who runs for council and gets elected. Thompson said no matter how hard it might be, try to focus on the positives and tune out all the negativity that comes with the job.
The municipal election will be on October 26.
