Heather Jackson-Chapman has filed nomination papers to run for Mayor of the City of St.Thomas in the October 2010 municipal election.
Having served two terms as Alderman, Jackson-Chapman feels this knowledge and experience has prepared her to serve as Mayor.
As Chair of Planning and Development, Jackson-Chapman is especially proud of this full term’s work on the City’s Official Plan to be released shortly. The OP will modernize zoning and expand the urban settlement boundary in the southeast area of the City.
Platform issues include the need to hire a CAO, create a strategic plan for the City that will align with the goals of the Economic Development Corporation’s strategic plan (the EDC plan deals with the Industrial sector only) and establish a better working relationship with the County of Elgin.

“Although the City of St. Thomas has been hit by hard economic times I’m confident we will come back from this. A CAO leading the corporation will help Council strategize to ensure St. Thomas remains the best city to live, work and raise a family in. St. Thomas is the only
municipality in the Province that doesn’t have a CAO leading the municipality which causes us to lose Provincial and Federal funding.”
“We need to work more cooperatively with our friends and neighbours in the County.
Economic development does not end at the City boundary. If something good happens in the City, the County benefits and if something good happens in the County, the City benefits. It is
time to open up the lines of communication with our neighbours and work together for the region as a whole.”
Along with her duties on Council, Jackson-Chapman is actively involved with Girl Guides of Canada having just received her 25-year service pin. She enjoys spending time with her family, which includes 6 young nieces and nephews. Married for 10 years in August to Craig Chapman;
the daughter of Rick and Wendy Jackson and the granddaughter of Dorothy Jackson and Lillian Marks. Born and raised on Ferguson Line, St. Thomas has always been her home community.
She attended New Sarum Public School and Parkside Collegiate Institute and is currently employed as Finance & Administrative Coordinator at the Elgin-St. Thomas United Way.
More information on Jackson-Chapman’s campaign will be shared through her website, http://www.heatherjacksonchapman.com, that will launch in April.