By Donald Morton Jr. | North Frontenac News Media | NFNM | Monday October 13, 2025
On meeting times, Councillor Stephanie Regent is telling two different stories—one on Facebook last week, using her government public facing page, and another on the public record in council last fall. Those stories cannot both be true.
What the Youtube recording says (Sept 12, 2024)
At the 23:25–24:15 mark of the September 12, 2024 Regular Council recording, Regent argues against evening meetings and for mornings:
“It doesn’t appear that it matters what time [meetings] are at… I don’t really think these five o’clock meetings need to be necessary… the five o’clock meetings need to go back to 9:00 a.m.… I don’t think having the staff stick around here after a long day is fair.”
The minutes from that meeting in 2024 show a split schedule for 2025 was adopted as suggested. Regent was present. she voted in favour only after expressing her discontent with the very debate. The Motion carried.
How One Lie Lit a Fire
On Township and community threads last week, Councillor Stephanie Regent told constituents: “Every year I ask for all meetings to be at night all year long.” That isn’t a slip. It’s false. The September 2024 council Youtube recording shows a long debate ending in a split schedule—and Regent was not neutral. She forcefully admonished nighttime meetings, said they were a waste of time, and pressed for mornings only. She argued that point repeatedly and clearly on the YouTube recording. On Oct. 10, Mayor Gerry Lichty reiterated that Public Meetings (not Regular/Special Council) can be scheduled twice in one day—morning and evening—to maximize access. That’s the record.
Regent’s Facebook claim said the opposite of her own on-record position. It sparked an outcry. Residents repeated the “all-evenings” line and attacked daytime meetings as unfair. Rob Lesperance, who echoed that claim, spoke with me privately after reviewing the video; he retracted his comments and acknowledged that Regent’s post misled him. The community reacted to a false claim, not the facts.
“Council meeting this morning at 9 am. Once again, I will be trying to get all meetings changed to evening meetings like I have for the past 3 years… Evening meetings get tremendous support and participation from our residents and that’s what I want.”
-Regents post
A resident challenged Regent directly on the contradiction. Art Hannigan wrote:
“I respectfully request clarification on when and why your stance… may have changed… Such discrepancies can impact the council’s credibility… I am concerned that these inconsistencies could undermine public trust.”
That is not what she advocated in chambers last fall. And she didn’t even show up to do it this fall. Regent promised attendance and action that morning. She then missed the Oct 10, 2025 Regular Council meeting—where residents also expected an update on the very important news relevant to the Lakelands Family Health portfolio. NFNM announced this news earlier this week. (Link at the bottom of this article.) You can’t campaign from Facebook and skip the meeting. On key files, showing up is the floor.
NFNM’s concern isn’t that people spoke up; it’s that they were led there by bad information from an elected official—followed by Regent skipping the very meeting where she said she’d “fight.” That combination erodes trust. It belongs squarely in the Integrity Commissioner’s lane: truthful public communications, respect for process, and a duty not to undermine confidence in council’s work.
Access problem: NFNM is blocked
NFNM is blocked from Regent’s official government page. We cannot see her posts without residents forwarding them. Blocking a local news outlet from official communications is not transparency; it is message control. Restore access — Immediately.
NFNM has served a formal unblock & preserve-records letter to Councillor Regent regarding her official Facebook page. We asked for confirmation by Oct 16. We’ll publish her response in full. In the meantime, please keep forwarding screenshots so residents can stay informed.
Attendance: the floor, not the ceiling
Attendance since January to Oct 10, 2025 for Stephanie Regent: 58%.
Confidential documents, links, or tips: donald.nfnm@gmail.com
https://www.patreon.com/posts/140580430
