LONG SAULT, Ontario – Township of South Stormont Mayor Jim Bancroft made a surprise announcement during his address at the Business Awards Breakfast in Long Sault on Friday, April 13, 2018.
Bancroft announced that he would not be seeking re-election this October.
“I will not be returning to work in the fall,” Bancroft said. “I really enjoy the work and I wish council the very best.”
Bancroft cited his 30 years in local politics and said that he had discussed retirement with his wife and decided that it was time.
Before the announcement of his retirement, Bancroft went over the successes that the South Stormont economy had seen over the past year, and some of the disappointments he says the Township has experienced during his term in office.
“At the beginning of our term, we thought we had two vibrant opportunities, but neither has come to fruition at this time,” Bancroft pointed to difficulties that the Township was having in attracting newcomers to the area.
He said however, that the area was becoming more welcoming to seniors, with the completion of Sunset Cove and the upcoming conversion of the old St. George’s school to senior’s housing.
“We are trying to be more proactive in reaching out to developers,” he said. “The emphasis of any mayor and council is to find new ways that we can work together.”
Bancroft was first elected to municipal politics in 1985. He became Mayor of South Stormont upon the amalgamation of the Township in 2000 and served until 2006. He was re-elected Mayor in 2014.
