In 1996, during his first term in office, Bennett spoke at the yearly gravesite ceremony honouring Canada’s first prime minister and Kingston resident John A. Macdonald.
During his term in office, Bennett led the community through a locally declared civic emergency, the Ice Storm of 1998.
During his term, the city established a yearly capital surcharge on all property tax classes; he also chaired a local United Way campaign.
[2] On June 11, 2017, Bennett was nominated to represent the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party in Kingston and the Islands in the 2018 provincial election.
He succeeded against three other challengers for the nomination but was defeated in the subsequent provincial election, placing third behind the NDP and Liberal candidates.