Huron County Council 

We lead Huron County toward a prosperous future.

Huron County Council determines the strategic priorities and direction for Huron County. We collaborate and consult with many partners to sustain a thriving community where everyone enjoys a high quality of life.

On behalf of the community, Huron County Council:

  • Determines the priorities and strategic direction of Huron County.
  • Adopts financial plans and approves budgets.
  • Adopts service policies and levels.
  • Communicates with other levels of government.
  • Evaluates performance.

Council Composition

Huron County is governed by Huron County Council, which is made up of fifteen members from Huron’s nine area municipalities. Each municipality located within Huron County is represented at County Council by their elected representatives: Mayors or Reeves, Deputy Mayors and Deputy Reeves, with some exceptions.

Biannually, Huron County Council elects a Warden from among the Councillors. The Warden is the executive officer of the corporation and the head of Huron County Council. The Warden chairs Huron County Council meetings, sits as an ex-officio member of all Standing Committees, and represents the County at a wide range of functions and activities.

Each Huron County Councillor is appointed to one of the Standing Committees or various organizational committees. Special meetings of committees can occur at the call of the Chair, CAO, County Clerk, or Warden; recommendations must then be approved or endorsed by Huron County Council.

Huron County Council Members Directory
Municipality Name/Position Contact Information
Ashfield-Colborne- Wawanosh Glen McNeil / Mayor gmcneil@huroncounty.ca
Bill Vanstone / Deputy Mayor bvanstone@huroncounty.ca
Bluewater Paul Klopp / Mayor pklopp@huroncounty.ca
John Becker / Deputy Mayor jbecker@huroncounty.ca
Central Huron Jim Ginn / Mayor jginn@huroncounty.ca
Marg Anderson / Deputy Mayor manderson@huroncounty.ca
Goderich Trevor Bazinet / Mayor tbazinet@huroncounty.ca
Leah Noel / Deputy Mayor lnoel@huroncounty.ca
Howick Doug Harding / Reeve dharding@huroncounty.ca
Huron East Bernie MacLellan / Mayor bmaclellan@huroncounty.ca
Alvin McLellan / Deputy Mayor amclellan@huroncounty.ca
Morris-Turnberry Jamie Heffer / Mayor jheffer@huroncounty.ca
North Huron Paul Heffer / Reeve pheffer@huroncounty.ca
South Huron George Finch / Mayor gfinch@huroncounty.ca
Jim Dietrich / Deputy Mayor jdietrich@huroncounty.ca

 

Municipal Partner Web Links

Municipal Elections

Each of Huron County’s nine local municipalities are responsible for running its own election of council. Huron County Council is comprised of elected officials from the nine local municipalities. After the 2014 election, County Council consists of the following fifteen members:
Municipality Council Member(s)
Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Mayor, Deputy Mayor
Municipality of Bluewater Mayor, Deputy Mayor
Municipality of Central Huron Mayor, Deputy Mayor
Town of Goderich Mayor, Deputy Mayor
Township of Howick Reeve
Municipality of Huron East Mayor, Deputy Mayor
Municipality of Morris-Turnberry Mayor
Township of North Huron Reeve
Municipality of South Huron Mayor, Deputy Mayor

On Election Day, residents of Huron County will also vote for area school board trustee positions. Unless residents are eligible to vote for a separate or French school board, they will vote for public school board trustees in their area.

Who is eligible to vote?

To be able to vote, your name must be on the list of eligible voters for your local municipality. To confirm or add to your voter information in a few easy steps, visit Voterlookup.ca or call the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) at 1.866.296.6722.

Anyone can vote in a municipal election who, on the day of the election is:

  • Eighteen (18) years of age or older,
  • A Canadian citizen; and
  • Either the resident of the municipality, or a property owner or tenant, or the spouse of an owner or tenant in the municipality during a specified time prior to the election.

For more information on voting requirements, see the 2022 Voters’ Guide.

Who can run as a candidate in the election?

A candidate for municipal office must, upon nomination, be a qualified municipal elector and fulfill all of the following requirements:

  • Be a resident of the municipality, a non-resident owner or tenant of land in the municipality or the spouse of such an owner or tenant;
  • Be a Canadian Citizen;
  • Be at least 18 years old;
  • Not be legally prohibited from voting; and
  • Not be disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office.

A candidate, if nominated, must remain qualified throughout the election and, if elected, throughout the term of office. The term of office starts on December 1, 2014 and runs through to November 30, 2018. For detailed information on becoming a candidate, see the 2014 Candidates’ Guide (PDF) or contact the municipal clerk in your local municipality.

Where do I go for more information?

Questions about municipal elections may be directed to your local municipal clerk or the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Municipal Services Offices.

Request to Speak at Council

If a member of the public wishes to address Council on a particular issue, they may request the opportunity to speak at a Council meeting by completing the Delegation Request Form.

 

Delegation Process

Submitting a Delegation Request and Supporting Materials

The Delegation Request Form (below) must be completed and submitted to the Clerk’s Office no less than ten (10) business days prior to the meeting date.

All written or electronic documentation concerning the presentation must also be submitted to the Clerk’s Office no less than ten (10) business days prior to the meeting date.

Accessibility

Please ensure that any materials made public, including your presentation, adhere to Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act (AODA) legislation by making every effort to prepare your presentation materials in an accessible format.

Notice of Request Approval

You will be notified by the Clerk’s Office once your delegation has been approved by the CAO.

Delegation Time Limit

Delegations are limited to not more than ten (10) minutes to present with time for questions and answers following the presentation. Participation in meetings may be in person or via electronic means according to the approved format.

Three Levels of Government

Huron County Council works within the three levels of government:

  1. Municipal (Lower-tier and Upper-tier)
  2. Province of Ontario
  3. Government of Canada

Resources

Meetings

Huron County Council meets twice a month at the County of Huron Administration Building, located at 1 Courthouse Square, Goderich, Ontario. During these sessions, Council considers and adopts the minutes and recommendations of the standing committees.

As elected representatives, County Councillors are always willing to hear comments, concerns and suggestions from the public. Council and Committee meetings are open to the public, and attendance is encouraged.

County of Huron Code of Conduct

Members of Council and Local Boards adhere to and comply with the County of Huron Code of Conduct which establishes general standard to ensure that all Members share a common basis for acceptable conduct.

Declaration of Interest Registry

In accordance with the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, the Municipal Clerk maintains a Declaration of Interest Registry, which is a record of each time a Member of Council declares an interest at a Standing Committee meeting or at a Council meeting. The Declaration of Interest Forms are available for public inspection at the Municipal Office during regular office hours.

2024 Board and Committee Schedule
2024 Huron County Accountability and Transparency Policy

The Municipal Act, 2001 (the Act) requires that all municipalities adopt and maintain a policy with respect to the manner in which the municipality will try to ensure that it is accountable to the public for its actions, and the manner in which the municipality will try to ensure that its actions are transparent to the public.

2024 Huron County Accountability and Transparency Policy