Mayor Martin Responds to Calls for his Resignation During Council Meeting

Tuesday, 12 July 2022 12:00

Mayor Larry Martin says he is saddened by the calls for his resignation, and Norwich Township is looking at tightening up its procedural bylaws in Council Chambers.

OXFORD CENTRE - Lots of people attended this morning's Norwich Township Council meeting to hear a delegation calling for Larry Martin's resignation as Mayor of Norwich and Warden of Oxford.

Three members of the local group Norwich Residents for Love and Acceptance presented the delegation at the Oxford Centre Hall this morning in response to another delegation that was brought forward at the last Council meeting.

Jacob Dey presented an approximately 30-minute delegation which included hateful remarks toward the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Bryan Kennedy, the President of Norwich Residents for Love and Acceptance, is very disappointed with Council's lack of action at this point.

"It is disheartening that in the last four weeks they have not taken the time to put together any concrete action items for the next steps. Certainly, they have made the promise that they're going to hold a special council meeting to address this, but I think with the severity of the situation that this should have been addressed much faster."

Mayor Larry Martin says he didn't stop the Dey's delegation because it was a volatile environment and he was worried about the safety of everyone in Council Chambers. He stands by that decision and was very upset when people started calling for his resignation.

"It hurt. I have dedicated a lot of years to this township and it really bothered me to think that they would do that. But everyone has their own opinion, everyone has their own rights and we all have to do what we think is right."

During today's meeting, both Mayor Martin and Ward 2 Councillor Lynne DePlancke went on record saying they were both shocked during Dey's delegation, adding they haven't seen anything like that in their years on Council.

DePlancke suggested that Council hold a special meeting to ensure this doesn't happen again, but Martin says that probably won't happen anytime soon.

"I don't really think through the summer months is a good time because it's a busy time for everybody but we will look at it, and we will consider it. Kyle Kruger (Norwich Township CAO) and I have talked and we are looking at considering tightening up our procedural bylaws so this won't happen again."

Martin also revealed that the OPP has launched a hate speech investigation into the matter. Kennedy says Norwich Residents for Love and Acceptance will do everything they can to assist.

"Next for us now is to meet with the OPP to thoroughly understand where they are right now with the hate speech and the crime that was committed, to look at the people there in attendance as victims for victim reports and support any way possible with their efforts."

The Norwich Residents for Love and Acceptance Facebook Group had a total of 624 members as of 12:00 p.m. today.