A retired farmer in Merlin is hoping to be elected to Chatham-Kent's (CK) next municipal council.
Tom Askew is running in Ward 1, hoping to represent people living in Tilbury, Wheatley, Merlin, and other smaller communities.
He told CK News Today that he has wanted to put his name forward for years.
"With the work that I do outside of the area, I couldn't commit my time," explained Askew.
If elected, Askew would like to prioritize addressing ongoing issues, such as the municipality's aging infrastructure. He believes council has been focusing on bigger projects that don't need to happen.
"I know [council] is looking at newer things like an OHL franchise, but I don't think Chatham-Kent is in a position to entertain that when there's a lot of outstanding issues that haven't been dealt with," he added.
When asked why people should vote for him, Askew was quick to highlight his previous work in aerospace and consulting.
"Working with large projects, project management, administrative stuff like that is kind of what's going on at the council meetings and council in general, so I'm more in tune to that," he said.
CK's election will be on October 26, 2026.
