SWOX opts for appointment to fill vacant seat

Debbie Kasman, Tillsonburg Post Correspondent

With the passing of Councillor Valerie Durston, South-West Oxford (SWOX) council declared the Ward 3 seat vacant at its May 5, 2026 meeting and is now calling for applications to fill the seat.

Durston was chair of the township’s Engage and Inform Committee and served on the Salford Community Hall Board, Hilltop Park Mount Elgin, the Environment and Energy Innovation Committee, and the Tillsonburg Regional Airport Advisory Committee. She served two terms in office, but announced she would not be seeking re-election in February.

With her recent passing, a by-election is not possible because the deadline for by-elections in an election year has passed and appointing a next-place finisher from the last municipal election is not an option as Durston was acclaimed. Appointing an eligible individual without an application process is not a supportable option in terms of transparency and democracy. Therefore, council is calling for applications for appointment to council to fill the vacant seat.

In order to be considered for appointment, individuals must reside in or be an owner/tenant of land within the township, or the spouse of an owner, be a Canadian citizen and at least 18 years of age, and cannot be someone who is disqualified from holding office by any act.

Interested, eligible candidates are invited to submit an application for appointment to council, must declare their qualifications, and participate in an interview/presentation during a public meeting on June 16, 2026. The appointed candidate will hold the seat until the upcoming municipal election.

The nomination period to run for mayor or councillor in the upcoming municipal election opened on May 1 and closes on Aug. 21. Mayor David Mayberry and Councillor Jim Pickard have announced they will not be seeking re-election.

So far, three candidates have declared their intention to run for Councillor in SWOX: Pete Ypma for Ward 2, William Van Lagen for Ward 3, and David (Dave) Mitchell for Ward 6. No one has declared an intention to run in SWOX for school board trustee.

The township approved new ward boundaries last July, but these boundary changes will not take effect until the new council is organized after voting day on Oct. 26.