Larry Snively resigns as mayor of Essex

By Rusty Thomson

Published: January 12, 2022 at 3:33 PM

Essex Mayor Larry Snively tells council he will not resign on March 2, 2020, after the OPP laid a charge against him in relation to the 2018 municipal election. (Rich Garton / CTV Windsor)Essex Mayor Larry Snively tells council he will not resign on March 2, 2020, after the OPP laid a charge against him in relation to the 2018 municipal election. (Rich Garton / CTV Windsor)

Days after pleading guilty to a charge under the Municipal Elections Act, Larry Snively has resigned as mayor of Essex.

Snively tendered his resignation effective Jan. 12 in a letter delivered to the Municipal Clerk.

"I wish to note that while this decision is made with regret I have made this decision both freely and voluntarily," says Snively in the resignation letter released by the town.

"For over 12 years I have served on Essex Town Council and I am proud of what the Town and Council its Council collectively have accomplished for its residents. I am particularly proud of the growth and development that has occurred in the Town during the most current term of Council. I will continue to assist the Town by working with developers in any way I can in order to help continue progress of this great town.

Accordingly in tendering this resignation I wish to thank the residents of the Town of Essex for the opportunity to have served both as your Mayor and as a Member of Council," the statement goes on to say.

On Jan. 7, Snively was fined $10,000 after pleading guilty to a charge under the Municipal Elections Act.

The charge was laid after the OPP began investigating in October 2018 after allegations over the misuse of proxy ballots, with several complaints received over proxy ballots being signed without proper consent.

Proxy ballots are used to give someone permission to vote on behalf of another person.

At the time, Snively announced he intended to serve the remainder of his term but told Council he did not plan to seek re-election in the upcoming municipal elections.

On Jan. 10, Essex Councillor Sherry Bondy called on Snively to resign.

Bondy was part of a group that sought an investigation into the misuse of proxy votes during the 2018 election.

The Town of Essex has issued a statement following the resignation of Larry Snively as mayor.

In a release issued shortly after Snively's resignation announcement, the Town of Essex said that Council is expected to formally declare the Mayor's seat as being vacant at its Jan. 17 regular meeting with a decision as to how to fill the vacancy at a special meeting to be scheduled.