Adam Veri is Norfolk’s new mayor
J.P. Antonacci
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Adam Veri trusted that voters in Norfolk County could handle the truth.
The Port Dover councillor was elected the rural municipality’s next mayor on Monday, Oct. 26, taking 5,884 votes - nearly 30 per cent - in a seven-candidate race where no rival cleared 20 per cent.
He did not shy away from Norfolk’s financial challenges on the campaign trail.
But instead of pledging, as some of his mayoral opponents did, to keep future tax increases at or below inflation without cutting services, Veri touted the county’s ongoing multi-year effort to replenish depleted reserve funds needed to repair and replace critical infrastructure.
That approach has meant steep property tax increases as Norfolk reckons with a legacy of past councils raiding the reserves to artificially lower taxes.
“This term of council, all nine of us, have worked hard to say, ‘Look, this is what we’re doing. This is what we’re up against,’” Veri said on election night.
“I’m encouraged that people are saying, yes, you guys are on the right track. Keep going.”
Veri has promised a comprehensive review of municipal services to determine which are valued by residents and which can be cut to save money.
Norfolk’s financial plight is embodied by water rates that are among the highest in Ontario due to the cost of maintaining five separate water treatment systems in the sparsely populated but geographically large county.
“(Residents) don’t want the big promises. They don’t want to be pandered to or told what they want to hear,” Veri said.
“My whole thing has been to tell people the truth. The community understands that there are challenges and they want us to deal with them. And to me, that’s the bigger win.”
Mayor Amy Martin’s decision not to seek a second term opened the field for a new leader for Norfolk and eight people put their names forward (one withdrew).
Veri and Simcoe councillor Doug Brunton vied for the top job against former Grimsby councillor David Finch, former Port Rowan councillor Noel Haydt, former Haldimand mayor Ken Hewitt, and retired RCMP officer Keith Milner.
Ken Gilpin was on the ballot but did not publicly campaign.
Voters cast their ballots knowing they would choose Norfolk’s fourth new mayor in as many elections, after Charlie Luke, Kristal Chopp and Martin each spent only one term in office.
Veri followed Martin’s political trajectory by serving one term on council representing Port Dover before being elected mayor.
“I am sincerely grateful that people have the confidence and the trust in me,” Veri said.
The mayor-elect said he was “relieved” the campaign had ended, adding that while he enjoyed chatting with residents about their priorities, the self-promotional side of campaigning is not his favourite part of politics.
“I’m just glad it’s over and I can go work,” Veri said.
In 2022, Martin won handily with 42.3 per cent of the vote, garnering 8,199 votes out of 19,401 total ballots.
This year, with no clear front-runner heading into election day, the vote split widely. No other mayoral candidate cleared 20 per cent.
There were 20,162 total ballots cast compared to 19,401 during the 2022 election.
For the first time, Norfolk offered advance online voting as an option for residents.
WARD 4
The biggest suspense on election night came in Ward 4, where incumbent Chris Van Paassen finished tied with challenger Jemi Lambert.
Each candidate received 858 votes, with Drew Hemsley taking 410.
A recount will take place in the coming days, said CAO Al Meneses, and if the results are confirmed, the clerk must determine how best to break the tie.
J.P. Antonacci is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter based at the Hamilton Spectator. The initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
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