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Melancthon candidates outline key priorities at Watershed Guardians forum

October 22, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Joshua Drakes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Watershed Guardians of Dufferin County hosted a municipal election candidate forum at Horning’s Mills Community Hall on Oct. 14, giving Melancthon residents an opportunity to hear candidates discuss their priorities, particularly concerns surrounding proposed quarry expansions and the protection of local water resources.

Mayoral candidate

Ruth Plowright is running for mayor of Melancthon after living in Horning’s Mills for 38 years with her family. Drawing on her experience in business and community life, she wants to protect local water resources, preserve the township’s rural character and ensure future development is carefully considered. She also highlighted road safety and community amenities.

Incumbent Mayor Darren White is seeking re-election after serving on Melancthon council since 2009 and as mayor since 2014. His priorities include protecting agricultural land and water resources, managing growth responsibly and maintaining the township’s infrastructure. White also emphasized fiscal responsibility and continuing to challenge proposed aggregate expansions he believes could threaten local water supplies.

Deputy mayor

James McLean spoke about the importance of protecting water, agricultural land and the township’s rural character. He highlighted the need to work with neighbouring municipalities and other levels of government to address concerns about proposed aggregate operations and their potential effects on shared water resources.

McLean was acclaimed as deputy mayor.

Councillor candidates

Bashir Ahmmed is running for councillor with a focus on community involvement, road safety and protecting local residents. He spoke about speeding and dangerous traffic along local roads, including the need to address concerns around County Road 17 and Highway 124. Ahmmed also encouraged residents to work together and make their concerns heard.

Shaen Armstrong is seeking a seat on council and highlighted the importance of responsible growth, road safety and fiscal responsibility. She has attended council and committee meetings and wants to better understand why township boards and committees experience turnover. Armstrong said she hopes to strengthen community participation and support the volunteers who help keep Melancthon active.

Kait DeVore is running for councillor after moving to Melancthon with her husband in 2020, where they hope to raise their family long-term. Her community involvement includes volunteering with emergency services support, serving on a local hall board and acting as treasurer of her school council. She wants to encourage more residents to participate in township decisions.

Jim Hillis is running for council after living in the area for 45 years. He reflected on how the community has changed, saying he believes the township has lost some of the neighbourly spirit and participation he remembers from when he first arrived. Hillis hopes to help rebuild community involvement and encourage more residents to take part.

Bryan Lemcke is seeking a seat on council, bringing experience from public works, recreation and the private sector. A longtime Dufferin County resident, he emphasized the importance of practical decision-making, accountability and transparency in local government. He wants the council to draw on different backgrounds and perspectives to make informed decisions in the best interests of residents.

Nancy Malek is running for councillor after previously serving on council from 2010 to 2014 during the Highland Quarry dispute. She has been involved with community boards and local advocacy, and described herself as a water activist. Malek wants to protect the township’s groundwater and agricultural land while encouraging residents and neighbouring communities to speak up about proposed development.

David Miller is running for councillor after living in the community since 2001 and working as a local small-business owner. In his introduction, Miller said he wants the opportunity to represent residents and help make things better in the township. He offered a brief introduction, focusing on his connection to the community and desire to serve.

Incumbent councillor Bill Neilson is seeking another term, emphasizing responsible fiscal management, sustainable growth and open communication with residents. He pointed to proposed expansions of aggregate operations as a major concern, warning they could affect the quality and quantity of surface water and groundwater. Neilson said protecting water is essential for residents, farms and future generations.

Mardi-An Ziegler is running for councillor after growing up in the area and working as a registered practical nurse before retiring. She said she wants to give back to the community and help protect its future. Her priorities include safeguarding water and natural resources, ensuring residents have a voice and approaching local challenges with facts and practical solutions.

Candidates respond to quarry concerns

Following candidate introductions, the forum switched gears and moved to a question period. Candidates were asked questions primarily concerned with the Strada Aggregate Quarry that threatens the water supply for municipalities in the region.

The first question was straightforward. For each candidate, what have they done in the last two years to oppose the Strada quarry?

Acclaimed Deputy Mayor McLean outlined steps taken by council, including hiring independent peer reviewers to scrutinize Strada’s studies on air quality, dust, traffic and hydrology, as well as retaining additional legal counsel. He also described meetings with community groups and political representatives, and a recent meeting with Six Nations representatives to raise awareness of the proposed quarry.

“Strada has to conduct various studies into air quality, dust, traffic, hydrology,” McLean said. “They hire experts to do all these studies. We hire our own, what we call peer reviewers, to review those studies and to vet them. And those peer review studies are coming in all the time, and they’re finding some very real concerns with the way Strada studies have been conducted.”

“We’ve also hired additional legal counsel. Some of the brightest minds in our province, who have been up against quarries in other parts of the region, are now on our team and are working closely with us,” he added.

Incumbent council candidate Neilson traced his opposition to concerns raised at his first council meeting, when he questioned Strada’s compliance report and water sampling results. He also described reviewing monitoring plans, visiting the Milton Quarry to compare its operations with Strada’s proposal, and joining delegations to neighbouring municipalities to raise concerns about water protection.

“This began for me back at my very first council meeting back on April 7, 2022,” he said. “In 2025, I visited the Milton Quarry. I wanted to see how a quarry actually operated, and this was a below-the-water-table quarry as well. Very good learning experience. We visited with the Six Nations there two weeks ago as well to get the word out, and they were very receptive to what we had to say.”

Council candidate Malek described years of advocacy against the quarry, including sharing peer-review findings with media outlets and provincial and federal ministers. She said her work with local advocates helped bring the issue to the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which contacted Strada to request peer reviews and test results.

“I have been working on this for years,” Malek said. “Those of you who know me, I talk about this constantly. I and Kyle Seeback have been directed to the federal government for this, and the Minister of Fisheries, Joanne Thompson, hooked me up with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, a federal agency, and they have approached Strada and have asked for their peer reviews and their test results. We deserve fresh water. We deserve not to have our wells destroyed.”

Council candidate Armstrong said she attended public meetings to hear different perspectives, then visited the Milton Quarry to better understand its operations and compare its practices with what was being proposed for Melancthon. She said the visit highlighted potential risks and gaps, prompting her to write multiple letters opposing the proposal. She also reviewed reports and continued attending council meetings to stay informed.

“I live by the mantra ‘listening is learning’, so the first thing I did was attend as many meetings as I could,” she said. “I was one of the few people that actually signed up to go see the Milton Quarry. I’m glad I did because I learned things, and I learned what wasn’t being done here that was being done there, and the risks are a lot higher up here. I took that information, and I wrote letters. And I didn’t just write one letter; I wrote several letters.”

With the municipal election right around the corner, the Strada quarry looms over the election and community, with all candidates, both incumbent and new, vowing to continue fighting it regardless of the election results.

All have plans to see the fight won, but not everyone has the same path to fight back.

The municipal election takes place on Oct. 26.

For more information on the Watershed Guardians, go to juststopit.ca.

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