Warden and Councillor for District 11 

Diane LeBlanc

Elected 2013

 902-765-2403

Deputy Warden and Councillor for District 3 

Dustin Enslow

Deputy Warden Enslow was born in Lockeport, Nova Scotia. At the age of 12 years, he joined the local Sea Cadet Unit, where he developed leadership skills and gained knowledge in nautical activities. His interest in politics began during his high school years, where he was involved in student government, and continued through his post-secondary education.

While attending post-secondary school, Dustin enlisted in the Canadian Forces as a Reserve Officer. After graduating, he moved to the Annapolis Valley, where he worked in the private sector as a vocational instructor, insurance advisor, and human resources manager. During this time, he also worked on and coordinated various projects within the Canadian Forces, regionally and at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa.

In 2013, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant (Navy) and soon after accepted a full-time staff officer position at CFB 14 Wing Greenwood. He remained committed to community service, volunteering with the local Sea Cadet Unit.

In 2023, Dustin sought to further contribute to his community and ran in the Annapolis County District 3 by-election, where he was successfully elected. Driven by his dedication to service, he also accepted a federal public service appointment as a Technical Standards Officer with a federal government department.

During the 2024 election, Dustin was re-elected and was subsequently nominated and elected by his fellow council members to serve as Deputy Warden. He currently resides in District 3 with his wife and two daughters.

Elected 2023

 902-824-0171

Councillor for District 1 

Karie-Ann Parsons-Saltzman

Councillor Parsons-Saltzman and her husband own and operate a dairy farm in the beautiful community of Melvern Square, where they live with their four wonderful children.

A graduate of Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), Karie-Ann enjoyed working as a residential property manager for 20 years in the local area. Currently, she is president of the Melvern Square Community Centre, a 4-H leader, the Treasurer for the Annapolis County 4-H Leaders Council.

Karie-Ann enjoys spending time with family and friends, being active in her community, day trips across the beautiful province, and a good book!

Elected 2024

 902-824-1112

Councillor for District 2 

Jesse Hare

Councillor Hare is fourth generation born and raised in Annapolis County.

He graduated Middleton Regional High School (MRHS) in 2019, and then Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) in 2021, where he obtained his diploma as an Electro-Mechanical Technician.

After working in this field for a brief time, Jesse and his brother resurrected the family sawmill business, which had sat idle in the community of Mount Hanely for a prolonged period of time. Once his family business was back to life, he turned his attention to the County of Annapolis, where he was elected to the position of councillor for District 2. At the age of 23, he is the youngest councillor to ever serve on Annapolis County Council.

When Jesse is not working, he enjoys traveling the many great trails and roads throughout Annapolis County on his ATV, visiting various shorelines, communities, and points of interest.

Elected 2024

 902-825-9372

Councillor for District 4 

Charles Cranton

Charles Cranton has lived in Annapolis County his entire life. To many of his friends, family members, and neighbours, he is known as “Chuck”.

Councillor Cranton was a graduate of Annapolis West Education Centre (AWEC) in 1996. He then attended the Business Administration program at the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) where he graduated in 1998. He later obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Laurentian University in 2017, and just one year later he earned his certification as a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA).

Charles has worked in this field for 25 years, providing a diverse background of experience, including contracting, retail operations, municipal government, peacekeeping, adult education, skills development, and childcare.

He has a strong passion for serving his community and helping others, with a significant portion of his career being spent in the not-for-profit sector, where he took on a leadership role and developed the skill of balancing fiscal responsibility with community mandates.

Since 2001, Charles has served on numerous volunteer boards in his community, including the Cornwallis Park Community Association (CPCA) for close to 20 years, and most recently, the Valley Community Learning Association (VCLA).
Elected 2024

 902-247-5323

Councillor for District 5 

Lynn Longmire

Elected 2020

 902-532-8533

Councillor for District 6 

Jonathan Welch

Councillor Welch’s children are the 10th generation of his family to call this part of Nova Scotia home. Though most of his life was spent in Nova Scotia, he lived away for fifteen formative years. During that time away, he developed a new perspective on how incredible this place is, particularly the Annapolis Valley.

In 2009, he started Sissiboo Coffee Roaster, which has allowed him to be a proud year-round employer for the past 15 years. As a business owner, Jon has had the privilege of supporting local fund-raising initiatives, providing a space to showcase the immense artistic talent in the area, and collaborating with other local producers.

For the past 20 years living in Bear River, he has been committed to working alongside neighbours to address issues in a community where things can be complicated due to the nature of being split between two counties by a river. Jon was a member of the Bear River Board of Trade for 15 years where has held various roles and led committees, and he was a volunteer firefighter for eight years with the Bear River Fire Department. For the past 15 years, he has been a member of the Hillsborough Water Society, serving as president for the last 10 years. His work as president of the water society influenced his decision to run for council. Jon is passionate about creating an environment where small businesses and small-town culture can thrive. He also understands the commitment and perseverance it takes to work with government at any level.

Jon has a deep belief in the collective good over individual gain and holds himself to a high standard of integrity.

In his down time, he likes to explore his own back country by canoe, bike, or foot.

Elected 2024

 902-250-0120

Councillor for District 7 

Ted Agombar

Councillor Agombar previously served as a town councillor in the former Town of Bridgetown, twice elected.

In 1982, Ted and his wife, Barbara, returned to Bridgetown to raise their four sons and be close to family and friends. They now count nine grandchildren, six of whom are growing up in Bridgetown.

Ted retired from a career in management and sales in 2018. He finished those years in Middleton as Finance Manager of Connell Chrysler Dodge, where highlights include sales numbers in his twenties that earned him a personal handshake with Sochiro Honda, president and founder of Honda, and many years as Atlantic Regional Manager for Suzuki, Hyundai, then Mazda. He is currently owner of Agombar Rentals, Centennial Dr. Apartments.

Highlights from past volunteer work include serving as president of Bridgetown/Lawrencetown Minor Hockey association, Western Valley Minor Hockey Association, and Valley Wildcat Major Midget Hockey Club.

Earlier in life, “Teddy” was driven by adventure including touring the North American motorcycle racing circuit. Today, cooking Sunday family dinners, garden and lawn care, golfing, curling, and community hall guitar jams are how he fills his leisure hours.

Elected 2024

902-665-4890

Councillor for District 8 

Nile Harding

Councillor Harding is a husband to his lovely wife, and a father to three wonderful children.

He drives a school bus for the Annapolis Valley Regional Centre of Education, taking on the great responsibility of safely transporting students to and from school each day.

Nile is very involved in the community where he volunteers at the Port Royal Legion, Branch 21 in Annapolis Royal, and he coaches youth soccer. He is also a Soccer Canada Certified Level 4 Referee, which allows him to contribute to sports for youth of all ages.

He currently resides in District 8 with his family and is looking forward to representing the communities in his district in his first term as councillor.

Elected 2024

 902-955-0776

Councillor for District 9 

Gail Oxner

Councillor Oxner joined Council in 2024 by acclimation. This is her first term as a member of Council.

Councillor Oxner, known as “Gidget” by friends, family, and neighbours, grew up in Middleton. Being part of local and municipal government is an inherited passion, following in her father an eldest brother’s footsteps. She currently lives in South Farmington and has a son entering his third year in Engineering at UNB after a short deployment as a Reservist in the Canadian Military.

Years of volunteering on boards and committees for various not-for-profit organizations, as well as an education in Human Resource Management, will be assets in her role as coucnillor. As the former General Manager of the Annapolis Valley Exhibition, and as the past president of the Exhibition Association of Nova Scotia, Gail has been involved in significant governance training and policy development.

A life-long equestrian coach, she is a certified Competition Coach Specialist who has coached and competed in Eastern Canada and the USA. The fact she has been the recipient of numerous provincial and national coaching awards, shows her passion and commitment to both clients and the sport.

Gail welcomes constituents to reach out to her via e-mail or telephone. She is excited to work towards making Annapolis County an inclusive place people call home.

Elected 2024

 902-825-9998

Councillor for District 10 

Brian Connell

Most people will know Councillor Connell has “Fuzzy”. He was elected to Annapolis County Council in 2001, but took time off in 2016-2020, to retire from his career at the NS Department of Transportation in Middleton, and to help his partner with their restaurant, Angie’s.

Brian truly enjoys his family and his seven grandchildren. He also takes time to ride his Harleys, and sometimes you will see him in his 1966 Chev truck - you cannot miss him, it's bright yellow.

He has lived in Annapolis County all his life and enjoys helping and making the County a better place to live.

Elected 2001