Ward 6 candidate Karen Robinet

I’m a former journalist who has spent many years covering municipal politics in a number of communities, most recently Chatham-Kent. Working as a journalist has given me the opportunity to meet with different people and understand the work of numerous organizations in our community.

I believe you can only effect change from within, and I believe that many people in Chatham-Kent are struggling and looking to local leaders for guidance. While many positive things are happening here, they aren’t benefiting everybody. I’d like to be part of the team that moves our community forward over the next four years.

My mission statement is simple: I will work toward thoughtful change to help all residents of Chatham-Kent attain the highest standard of living possible in a community that celebrates diversity and inclusion.

Would you support a tax freeze or rollback if it meant reduced staff or services?
Maybe. There are two many variables for me to be able to effectively answer this question.

Would you support an OPP costing study?

Yes.

Would you support examining a volunteer-only fire service if the provincial arbitration system isn’t overhauled?

No.

Do you believe we should continue our ongoing efforts to attract economic investment from China?

No.

Would you support contracting municipal services to the private sector if those services can be delivered more efficiently?

Yes.

Would you support investigating amalgamation of fire/ambulance/police services to reduce costs?

Yes.
Would you support a municipal tree-cutting bylaw if it contained incentives for woodlot owners to retain/increase tree cover?

Yes.

Do you believe we need a municipal ombudsman or ethics commissioner such as London and Windsor have added?

No.

Would you consider developing a usage benchmark for municipal offices, arena and libraries and closing those that don’t meet the standards?
Yes.

Do you support development of a community-wide multipurpose recreation centre?

Yes. However, we need to have a plan in place to work towards funding such a facility. We had an opportunity to do that and let it slip through our fingers.

Do you support an adopt-a-park program in which service or volunteer groups assume some maintenance (grass cutting) of some municipal facilities?

Yes. I think the volunteer sector could be helpful in doing more than grass cutting in parks. Other communities have seen service groups raise money for splash pads and other much-needed projects and I would like to see something like this happening for Tecumseh Park in particular.

Do you support investigating a reduction in the number of municipal councillors?

Yes. However, given the large geographic area and the rural/urban mix, we would need to make sure we were doing it for the right reasons.

My Platform

Mission Statement: I will work toward thoughtful change to help all residents of Chatham-Kent attain the highest standard of living possible in a community that celebrates diversity and inclusion.

I think we need to get back to basics in Chatham-Kent.

We owe it to everyone to make sure that our tax dollars are being spent wisely, and on the projects and services that municipal governments are obligated and empowered to provide.

Those include many of the services that impact us daily; things like water and sewage, garbage collection, public transit, snow removal and hydro provision. It also includes a lot of quality of life services, including parks and recreation, arts and culture and library services. And, municipalities are responsible for providing many of the necessities that keep us safe, like emergency services, public health and social services. Public transit, road maintenance and animal control are also among the many services that municipalities like Chatham-Kent must provide to their residents.

I’m sure that most of us would agree that all of these services are important, but we would no doubt have a difficult time finding a consensus when it comes to which services are most important and where our money should be spent.

That’s why we have a municipal government. Municipal governments must always be focused on the greater good, and in an amalgamated community such as ours, it can be a challenge making decisions that are not only good for Chatham, but for the entire community.

Municipal politicians need to ensure that municipal employees have the ability to do their jobs within the parameters established by council. This means providing clear direction, designing and governing effective policies, and recognizing that there is a difference between government and administration. Administration must ensure that council is provided with the rationale and possible alternatives for important recommendations that are being made.

What politicians should be doing is assessing whether or not such recommendations fit into the long-term vision and the short-term financial realities of Chatham-Kent. They should be working with municipal employees to create a Chatham-Kent that is a good place to live, to work, to raise a family and to retire.

Nobody likes making tough decisions, but politicians must be prepared to make those decisions if they benefit the municipality as a whole.

I’m willing to do my research into the issues and I’m not afraid to speak my mind. I believe we live in a fantastic municipality and I believe that Chatham has the potential to ensure that all of our aspirations in Chatham-Kent can be attained. It won’t be easy, but it will be well worth the effort!