Well folks, it is official: I am acclaimed as your next Pakenham Ward councillor ahead of this fall's municipal election! This means that I've been selected as the councillor and will not be campaigning over the coming months, and no ballots will need to be cast for me since no one else had decided to run in the same ward. As a first-time candidate, I feel fortunate to have garnered enough trust of those around me to represent everyone's interests, while also recognising that I also haven't earned everybody's support by default.

For the first time in nearly four decades, Denny Ferguson, a mainstay of municipal politics in Pakenham, will be enjoying a well-deserved break. I'd like to thank him and his family for putting so much of their time towards our neighbours, and I am honoured to take those reins.

Putting my name in for this councillor position came from a desire to achieve even more of what brings me so much joy: fostering culture in our community, flexing my pragmatic, innovation-loving problem solving skills, and stepping up when I see places where I can use the experience I've got.

I've got a laundry list of notes on my phone for things that I want to share, ask or do with everyone over the next while, all of which I'm expecting will get us better acquainted ahead of the middle of November when I will be sworn in. While these things trickle out over the next couple of months, I wanted to share at least some core information here and now so you can tell your neighbours who are also wondering who this "Travis Jordan" lad is.

Here's what you might care to know right now

• I'm the only Tavis Joron out there, and it's easy to mispronounce or misspell my name. I won't ever judge you if that happens, but if you want to get it right from the get-go, I like to break it down as Tavis rhymes with Travis but there's no "r", and Joron rhymes with moron but with a J instead of an M 😅
• I grew up in Almonte and spent my life there before moving first to Ottawa for half a decade, then back to Almonte for a year, and I've been in Pakenham with my wife for 5 years.
• I'll be 34 years old next month, have no kids, but have 2 cats and a puppy.
• I live right in the village on Jessie street backing onto the arena, with the chaotic-looking vegetable gardens in my side yard and a Seedling Library sign that I've had set up since the spring. You can't miss it on your way to the park, beach or baseball diamond.
• I work remotely full-time in Total Rewards (Compensation) for Canadian Nuclear Labs. My career spans a dozen years working in Human Resources or HR-adjacent roles in high tech, and on the day-to-day I am mostly found in Excel spreadsheets, developing information management tools using a programming language (Python), or meeting with over a dozen union reps as we collaborate as a committee as part of the federal Pay Equity Act's requirements.
• I've got zero experience as a politician, have no agenda whatsoever coming into the role, and have a reputation of not picking sides in debates and heated conversations.
• I place large value on sticking to logical, factual and constructive conversations. I love measuring data, having supporting evidence, and receiving feedback. My opinion can and will change on subjects as information is presented.
• Outside of work I am typically found walking my dog Goose, gardening, playing volleyball, organising community events, chatting with neighbours, or out in the wilderness foraging/hunting/fishing/hiking/photographing.

Huge thanks to everyone who has supported me so far, and I am very much honoured and excited to join our council and make our towns even better places to live.

Pictured: me and Goose, our 9 month old medium bernedoodle, on one of our many walks to the park to play.