A pair of familiar faces has entered the already crowded by-election race for the vacant seat on Windsor City Council.
Local businessman Jeewen Gill announced his candidacy for the Ward 7 seat Wednesday afternoon at City Hall. Another businessman, Angelo Marignani, is expected to formally kick off his campaign Thursday at City Hall, but a release posted on his Facebook page announced his intention to run.
Gill and Marignani join a field of 11 candidates wanting to finish out the term of Irek Kusmierczyk, who resigned to become the new Liberal MP for Windsor-Tecumseh.
Gill, a real estate broker, is no stranger to local politics due to his longtime membership with the federal and provincial Liberal parties. Gill was the unsuccessful Liberal candidate for Windsor-Tecumseh in the 2013 provincial by-election and the 2015 federal election. He also ran for the Liberal nomination in the 2019 federal election, which went to Kusmierczyk.
According to a media release, Gill's priorities for Ward 7 include improvements to local roads, planning and funding for flood protection, increased investment in parks and recreation, and improved community safety.
Marignani is also not a political novice. A lifelong resident of Ward 7, the owner of the former Milk Coffee Bar downtown has run in the last three municipal elections.
Marignani's Facebook posts listed his own plans should he be elected to council. His priorities include taking a "proactive approach to water management and flood control". Marignani's platform also included a taxpayer-first strategy and improved neighbourhoods.
The other nine candidates running for the Ward 7 seat are, in alphabetical order, Igor Dzaic, Farah El-Hajj, Barbara Holland, Ernie "The Baconman" Lamont, Greg Lemay, Michael Malott, Thérése Papineau, Albert Saba, and Howard Weeks.
Candidates have until 2 p.m. Friday to deliver their completed nomination materials to the city clerk's office. The by-election is set for April 27.
