By Dan McCaffery for the Sarnia Observer
He was the great fence-mender of Sarnia politics.
That’s how people who served with him remember Ron Gordon’s brief tenure as our 66th Mayor.
Gordon, they say, helped unite a badly fractured City Council on two separate occasions.
Born in Timmins in 1938, he came to Sarnia with his family at age two.
After graduating from University of Windsor with a degree in Business Administration, he helped found Kel Gor Ltd., a local company that makes valves and pipe fittings for industry.
The father of five was heavily involved in community projects long before he entered politics. In fact, he Chaired Canada Day Committees for years, was Chairperson of the Ontario Handicapped Games and played a major role in a Sarnia General Hospital fundraising drive. He also raised funds for the Women’s Interval Home and Huron House Boy’s Home.
When a vacancy arose on City Council in 1984, Gordon accepted an invitation from Mayor Marceil Saddy to fill it.
Three years later, when a badly divided Council was threatening to hold a costly judicial inquiry in a bid to find if an Alderman was leaking confidential reports to the media, Alderman Gordon refused to engage in any fingerpointing.
All nine members of Council denied being alleged ‘deep throat’ and that was good enough for Alderman Gordon. He urged fellow Councillors to accept people at their word. Eventually’ the majority came around to his way of thinking and the inquiry was dropped before it could get off the ground.
When Mayor Saddy died in office on March 7, 1988, Council was again badly split. This time, the debate was over who should complete the deceased Mayor’s term. Most believed the new Chief Magistrate would have a major advantage over any opponents during the next municipal election campaign, which was only seven months away.
Council turned to Alderman Gordon after he promised not to seek the Mayor’s chair that fall.
“He played an important role in keeping Council together”, recalled subsequent Mayor, Mike Bradley, who was an Alderman in 1988. “He brought some calm to Council”.
With that rift healed, the 49-year old Gordon announced he wanted Council to establish market value assessment, redevelop the Children’s Arena site, expand Sarnia’s boundary and mark progress towards the establishment of a 911 emergency telephone system.
Within a month of his taking office, Council endorsed the 911 phone system. Most of his other major objectives were achieved not long after he left office.
Mayor Gordon served from April 5 until December 2. True to his word, he did not seek re-election to the Mayor’s chair that fall.