Leeds and the Thousand Islands councillor Mark Jamison resigns
The Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands (TLTI) is bidding farewell to Ward 2 Coun. Mark Jamison, who officially resigned from his position as of Dec. 31.
“It was almost around Christmas, he sent in a note to our CAO and myself, indicating he’d be stepping down for personal reasons, as of Dec. 31,” said Mayor Corinna Smith-Gatcke.
Jamison’s resignation marks the end of a six-year tenure on council, where he served one full term and part of a second. His contributions, rooted in experience and insight, earned him respect among his peers.
“Mark was a very integral part of council, a valued member,” said Smith-Gatcke.
“He definitely always came prepared with insight and experience that was valuable when trying to put together new policy and dealing with budgets. He was a well-rounded person, with great experience, who helped us move forward. Even when it came down to government relations, in his previous life, with economic development and helping run large not-for-profit organizations. He really understood why policies were so important, bylaws and everything else that comes with government and governance. We will definitely miss him greatly.”
The mayor also highlighted the mutual respect that defines council dynamics.
“The whole council, in general, has a great working relationship,” said Smith-Gatcke. “Even when we disagree, we never part ways in a nasty fashion. We’re always shaking hands at the end and walking away respectful of one another. And in light of everything going on in the world when it comes to government and the vitriol, the hate, the stuff that goes on, we’re very respectful of one another. We work well together because we all understand we have a job to do. We may have differing opinions, but we have to find that middle ground.”
Reached Friday, Jamison said there’s no drama behind his decision to resign.
“Just the need to put some health related issues out of the way,” said Jamison. “Nothing I would comment on.”
He added his time on council was “all in all, a challenging and enriching experience.”
The township has dealt with council vacancies before. In 2017 and 2023, vacancies arose due to the deaths of councillors. In 2017, council opted to appoint an unsuccessful candidate from the previous election. In 2023, an open call and interview process was used.
Council must now navigate the process of filling Jamison’s vacant seat. As mandated by the Municipal Act, the vacancy must be declared at the next council meeting on Monday, and a decision regarding how to proceed must be made within 60 days.
The options include: direct appointment by council; appointment through an open call for qualified applicants; appointment of an unsuccessful candidate from the 2022 election; holding a byelection.
“I can’t say which way it will go,” Smith-Gatcke admitted. “I have not spoken to my fellow council members about their feelings about which way they’d want to go. It’ll play out at council, but we’ll have the options available.”
Deputy Mayor Terry Fodey echoed the praise for Jamison’s commitment to the community.
“He always put the community and people of TLTI first,” said Fodey. “He will be missed.”
With Smith-Gatcke attending next week’s meeting virtually, Fodey will chair the session, which starts at 6:30 p.m. at Lansdowne’s council chambers.