Admitting it is “humbling,” Aylmer Mayor Mary French was elected Elgin County Warden Tuesday evening.
She won out over Central Elgin Deputy Mayor Tom Marks and Dutton Dunwich Mayor Bob Purcell.
Marks will serve as Deputy Warden in 2022. He handed over the chain of office, gavel and Lord Elgin watch – symbols of office – to French during the swearing-in ceremony.
It’s her first term as Warden and French outlined one of her top priorities for the coming year.
The Aylmer Mayor also lists the county’s long-term care facilities as a key focal point for council.
French is currently a member of the Terrace Lodge Redevelopment Steering Committee. The long-term care facility in Malahide is undergoing a $35 million redevelopment expected to take almost three years to complete.
She can trace her area roots back more than 200 years. French says that is why she considers serving as warden for the next year a privilege and a huge honour for her family.
She adds some of her relatives served in political office in the 1800s in what was then Upper Canada.
French confesses, “I love politics.”
The first county council meeting chaired by Warden French will be Thursday morning.
