Newly elected Chatham-Kent councilors say they’re looking forward to getting down to business once they officially take office next month.
Chatham-Kent’s newly elected councilors say they’re looking forward to getting down to business once they officially take office next month.
Conor Allin, who finished third in Ward 6 Chatham, admitted he was “nervous and excited at the same time” as the results came in Monday night, adding he and his team felt good about the campaign.
“I very much appreciated the canvassing I did put in and getting to talk to the people of Chatham,” he said Wednesday. “That matters at the end of the day because we are representing them.”
Allin said municipal taxes, infrastructure and the desire for further information about proposed developments were among the main topics he heard at the door.
While there will be a big learning curve ahead, Allin said he believes there’s a good mix of veterans and new faces, who will all soon be gathering again in person after two years of virtual meetings.
“A lot of (the councilors) have done great work,” he said. “I hope to soak in as much as possible, learn from everybody, learn from the experienced councilors we have.”
The 34-year-old Chatham resident manages the Chilled Cork Restaurant and owns South Kent Corn Detasseling.
He plans to connect with constituents however he can but said he believes nothing can replace face-to-face contact in helping a person with a problem.
As for priorities, Allin said he hopes Chatham-Kent can capitalize on its recent growth. Balancing affordability with desired amenities will be key in the coming years, he added.
“We struggled for a long time getting young professionals here,” he said. “When they get to a certain point in their life, they can’t wait to go away to university and get out of Chatham. That’s a culture we need to change.”
Ryan Doyle won the third and final seat in Ward 2 South Kent, edging incumbent Clare Latimer by just one vote.
“You can’t really get closer than that,” the 38-year-old insurance broker said. “It definitely gives meaning to the term ‘every vote counts.’ It’s a definite thank you to every single person who got out there and voted for me, for sure.”
Doyle said he was asked in 2016 to consider running after he organized a viewing of The Tragically Hip’s A National Celebration concert in Tecumseh Park, which raised money for the Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation.
The timing wasn’t right for him then, he said, but he did put the idea in his head.
“Now that I’m married and I’ve got one two-year-old daughter and another one on the way, it would be nice to help shape the future of Chatham-Kent,” Doyle said.
“I’ve done a lot of charity work in my past but I feel with now, where I am in life, it will be more beneficial for myself and my community to try to do things through council and try to make a bigger impression. ”
Doyle said he enjoyed knocking on doors in South Kent during the campaign because he gave him a good idea of what the community wants.
“Taxes is a big one people want to keep down,” he said. “I would say making sure we’re using our tax dollars efficiently so we can keep our taxes down and hopefully not have a tax increase next time.”
Transparency in government is another top concern, he said.
The Harwich Township man said he noticed some differences between the communities in Ward 2 in terms of priorities but aims to find the best way to manage tax dollars “in a way that we can try to help out everybody the best we can.”
Other new councilors-elect, interviewed earlier this week by The Daily News, include Lauren Anderson (Ward 1 West Kent), Rhonda Jubenville (Ward 4 North Kent) and Alysson Storey (Ward 6 Chatham).
The new council will be inaugurated during an in-person special meeting on Nov. 15 at the Chatham Capitol Theater in a ceremony open to the public.