Tara Jeffrey
Enniskillen Mayor Kevin Marriott will serve as the 160th warden of Lambton County.
“I can’t express how much I appreciate everyone’s confidence in allowing me to serve as your warden for two more years,” said Marriott, who was acclaimed to the position at the inaugural meeting of the 2023-2026 Lambton County Council, Wednesday. He also served as Lambton’s most recent warden for the 2021-2022 term.
Marriott, a cash crop farmer, has served on Enniskillen Township Council for nearly 30 years, including the position of mayor he’s held since 2011 — unchallenged since 2014.
Coun. Brian White was elected deputy warden; both will serve for the 2023-2024 term.
“I’m confident that I could step in and chair a meeting on a moment’s notice,” White told council during Wednesday’s election. County council members Bev Hand and David Ferguson also put their names forth for the position.
“I’m confident that I can sit with a group of decision-makers, along with our warden, and with our complimentary skillsets, create a formidable team to serve the best interests of the county, of your communities, and us as individuals.”
Lambton County Council elects a warden and deputy warden from amongst the councillors every two years in December. The warden is the head of council for the Corporation of the County of Lambton, chairs county council meetings, represents the county at functions and activities and to senior government.
The event also marked the swearing in of the 2023-2026 county council, which consists of 17 representatives from the 11 local municipalities.
Mayors, along with additional councillor appointees (when more than one county council seat exists), come together to represent the entire county.
“Since the beginning of this year, we have seen financial conditions change more in one year than in many years,” Marriott told council. “We hear on the news everyday about people having a hard time being able to pay for basic needs, and homelessness is rising at an unprecedented rate.
“I believe that much more pain is coming with even higher interest rates.”
Marriott is the past president of Lambton County Junior Farmers, Lambton 4-H Leader’s Association, Lambton Soybean Committee, Bluewater Conservation Club, and the Lambton County Soil and Crop Improvement Association.
He has acted as the Provincial Director of the Ontario Soybean Growers and Grain Farmers of Ontario from 2001 to 2013, and also held various positions on the executive for four of those years.
The new council will have a challenging job ahead of them, he said, pointing to the need for more affordable housing and $100-million in potential needed updates in long term care homes
“More than ever, Lambton County Council will have to work together as a team to meet these challenges,” Marriott said. “We just have to overlook those occasional differences of opinions we may have from time to time.”
Lambton County Council Members, 2023-2026
Coun. Jeff Agar (Mayor, St. Clair Township)
Coun. Gary Atkinson (Mayor, Plympton-Wyoming)
Coun. Dave Boushy (City-County Councillor, City of Sarnia)
Coun. Mike Bradley (Mayor, City of Sarnia)
Coun. Al Broad (Mayor, Township of Dawn-Euphemia)
Coun. Todd Case (Mayor, Warwick Township)
Coun. Doug Cook (Mayor, Lambton Shores)
Coun. Bill Dennis (City-County Councillor, City of Sarnia)
Coun. David Ferguson (Mayor, Brooke-Alvinston)
Coun. Bev Hand (Mayor, Village of Point Edward)
Coun. Brad Loosely (Mayor, Town of Petrolia)
Warden. Kevin Marriott (Mayor, Township of Enniskillen)
Coun. Chrissy McRoberts (City-County Councillor, City of Sarnia)
Coun. Steve Miller (Deputy Mayor, Township of St. Clair)
Coun. Dan Sageman (Deputy Mayor, Lambton Shores)
Coun. Ian Veen (Mayor, Village of Oil Springs)
Deputy Warden Brian White (City-County Councillor, City of Sarnia)