Merrickville business owner appointed to the position April 23

LAURIE WEIR

Trevor Johnson has been appointed Montague Township’s new councillor during a special meeting of council on April 23 at Rosedale Hall. 

Johnson was nominated for the appointment to the position – left vacant by Morgan Kenny, who resigned in March after being acclaimed during the 2022 election. 

“I feel Trevor will bring a fresh perspective to our conversations,” said his nominator, Deputy Reeve Jeffrey Carroll. “His experience with airports and business around them … will be an asset as we look at business opportunities and viability there.”

Carroll said although he’s new to the township, Johnson has “engrained himself” to his neighbours in the community of Merrickville, where he owns a bakery. 

“He’s an active volunteer in his (previous) communities, and I believe him when he says he’s going to do more in Montague,” Carroll said, as there was a lot of endorsement for Johnson, “and something I was hoping for.”

Coun. Gerald Crabtree seconded the nomination, which was unanimously supported by council. 

Kenny left the position to spend more time with her young family. “I have an infant daughter who was coming with me to council meetings, and a four-year-old son at home,” she told this publication earlier this month. “I found it was a bit too much on my plate. I wanted to be home in the evenings with my kids. Those first early years are very important.”

Reeve Karen Jennings stated that the appointment will be for the remainder of this term of council, effective April 23, 2024. Johnson was also appointed to the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority. 

Johnson owns the Village Bakery – Violets on Main, where he and his partner, Patti, have been creating delicious food since they dreamed of their vision in 1982. “We’ve combined our extensive baking experience, specialty cake decorating, event planning background, and business experience to help bring our dreams of owning our own bakery to reality,” they said on their bakery website. “We are forever grateful for the family and friends who have given us the strength to go further than we ever could have alone.”

Seven people in total put their names forward for the vacant seat. The six others including: Pat Dolan, Margaret Kubisewsky, Tom May, Brian Gibbs, Klaas Van Der Meer and Jack Cole.