Lambton County council set to elect next warden Dec. 4

Enniskillen Township Mayor Kevin Marriott is seeking a third term as Lambton County warden.

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Marriott, acclaimed in December 2022 to a second two-year term, said he was the only candidate to declare at the recent warden’s banquet, when those seeking to chair county council traditionally make their intentions known.

“I did let them know I was willing to let my name stand again,” Marriott said.

Lambton council’s 17 members, representing 11 municipalities including Sarnia, are to elect Lambton’s 161st warden and deputy warden by secret ballot at the county building in Wyoming Dec. 4.

“Anybody else can let their name stand right up until we vote,” Marriott said.

Sarnia Coun. Brian White, who currently holds the post, and St. Clair Township Mayor Jeff Agar have said they will run for deputy warden, Marriott said.

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Lambton’s nearly $284-million budget provides many services to the county’s 11 municipalities, including public health, public housing, social services, ambulances, libraries, county roads, municipal waste disposal, three long-term care homes, two museums, archives, a public art gallery, provincial offenses court services, as well as managing local child care and early years’ services.

Marriott, who farms in Enniskillen Township, has been its mayor since 2011 and a township council member since 1994.

“The majority of the time, (holding municipal office is) rewarding and feels good that you can help improve the community in some way,” he said.

As well as chairing monthly council and standing committee meetings, Lambton’s warden attends other meetings and community events.

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“It keeps life busy and interesting,” Marriott said.

Issues facing the county include the response to growing homelessness in the community, he said.

Lambton is among municipalities pressing Ontario for a provincewide approach to homelessness, Marriott said. “We need some type of help to help resolve it for everyone.”

The county also is looking to Ottawa to help build new affordable housing, he said.

“We’re making some headway at building more units. . . (but) it takes a three-way partnership (local, provincial and federal) to break new ground on something,” Marriott said.

A delayed project to add 24 affordable apartments at the county’s Maxwell Park Place in Sarnia is expected to be completed in the spring and a plan to build a 50-unit geared-to-income apartment building on Kathleen Avenue is moving ahead.

Lambton’s affordable housing waiting list was 943 names long in early November. The average wait locally for a one-bedroom public housing apartment is four years.

With files from Tyler Kula

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