After initially announcing he would resign at the end of July, Kevin Davis says he will finish out his term as mayor of Brantford.
Earlier this month, Davis said he was stepping away from his role as Brantford’s top politician in order to pursue a “once-in-a-career opportunity” with the Licence Appeal Tribunal, a provincial agency.
He also said he made the decision in an effort to spend more time with his family and his grandchildren.
On Thursday, Davis said in a Facebook post that he had had a change of heart as he believed “to be in the best interests of the City of Brantford, City staff and the residents we are honoured to serve.”
The Brantford mayor said he had made the decision after consultations with family, city staff and members of the community.
“I now know that my personal career decision would come at a great financial cost for the taxpayers of Brantford. A cost that can easily be avoided,” he explained.
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Davis said that staff had informed him that the move would cost upwards of $600,000 while the byelection would not take place until January.
He said that he was also concerned that a number of projects he had been involved in would be “negatively affected and delayed” by his potential resignation.
“While the position with the License Appeals Tribunal would allow me to focus on my own personal goals, it would jeopardize the goals that had been set by Council for the next two years,” he said.
“I am committed to ensuring these projects succeed and am re-committing myself to these priorities; therefore I have declined with regret the Tribunal position I was offered by the Province.”
The mayor also spoke to a recent TV appearance in which he discussed the harassment that he and other politicians receive from some in the community.
“I’d hoped my leaving would lower the temperature and reduce the aggressive toxicity directed toward city staff, however, it has escalated, significantly, since announcing my intention to resign,” Davis wrote.
“Not only do I have a professional obligation to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with this outstanding team, I have a moral obligation as well.”
The Brantford mayor is 18 months into his second term in the role, with the next municipal election to be held in October 2026.
His re-election was a highly contested affair, as a recount was conducted by hand in the spring of 2023. In the end, Davis collected 9,223 votes, edging out runner-up Dave Wrobel by just 10 votes.