I am a 64-year young retired teacher, wife of Allan and mother of Jason, Jacob and Jordan Cottingham. Allan and I have lived in Tilbury all our lives where I have supported Allan in the 100-year-old family business, Cottingham Tire.
I have spent the past 45 years devoted to making my community a better place. I have chaired several boards including the Tilbury BIA, Tilbury & District Chamber of Commerce, Chatham-Kent Women’s Centre, service clubs such as Tilbury Rotary and IODE, and numerous C-K committees.
I am committed to working to find jobs in C-K that will allow citizens to provide a decent living for their families. Partnering with labour, industry, small business and government to develop co-operation in attracting and serving all businesses. Developing tourism to attract youth, senior and immigrant groups to CK, and enrich the lifestyle of residents. Achieving a workable budget to keep taxes low, maintain services and replace infrastructure. Replacing perceived negativity by working positively to address the needs of each community. Providing support and a strong voice to Ward 1 constituents and concerned citizen groups on all issues.
Would you support a tax freeze or rollback if it meant reduced staff or services?
Yes to a tax freeze but only as a last resort. The very real needs in CK for infrastructure of our roads, bridges, facilities and downtowns have long been delayed. A tax freeze would only delay that. I prefer to relook at staff responsibilities and service delivery and reorganize to save or reduce staff. A hiring freeze would be preferred as well.
Would you support an OPP costing study?
Yes. Competitive comparatives are a way to gauge the effectiveness of our current provider. I would prefer it if a RFP (proposal) format that would not cost the taxpayer could be considered.
Would you support examining a volunteer-only fire service if the provincial arbitration system isn’t overhauled?
Yes, but I would prefer a combination of the two in high usage areas. We could provide a minimal full-time staff and a volunteer contingent to supplement when there are actual fires. We would improve cooperation and meet the needs of our cash-strapped municipality.
Do you believe we should continue our ongoing efforts to attract economic investment from China?
Yes and from everywhere, including Canada. I believe the number one issue here is jobs. How we do that needs more careful examination. We need to partner with industry, business, labour and government for ways to work together for a positive environment that attracts economic investment.
Would you support contracting municipal services to the private sector if those services can be delivered more efficiently?
Yes, as long as staff responsibilities realign themselves to address this new reality and staff hours/numbers are reduced to reflect this loss. I would also want to make sure the process was competitive and contracts are reviewed annually.
Would you support investigating amalgamation of fire/ambulance/police services to reduce costs?
Yes, I would support an amalgamation of the facilities that are housing the individual services, much like we do here in Tilbury. However, each service has its own needs and duties. Provision for all needed EMS services when the limited vehicles and staff are on a call is needed: i.e. EMS fire units can be called out when ambulance is busy.
Would you support a municipal tree-cutting bylaw if it contained incentives for woodlot owners to retain/increase tree cover?
Yes, but only if incentives in the form of a reduction in taxes for the acreage kept in woodlot could be considered much like areas not fully service are reduced now. I would also like to see room for the consideration of needed farmland be addressed while still replacing trees throughout the municipality.
Do you believe we need a municipal ombudsman or ethics commissioner such as London and Windsor have added?
Yes. I would not want to see a new position created for this, but that we contract the services per incidence should they be required.
Would you consider developing a usage benchmark for municipal offices, arena and libraries and closing those that don’t meet the standards?
No. These are critical services in our communities. Some of our current policies and practices contribute to the lack of use in our communities that skews the so-called standards. Combining some of the services to house them in our libraries or proposed new recreation centre could be considered.
Do you support development of a community-wide multipurpose recreation centre?
Yes. Chatham needs a new arena and it makes sense to add some recreation and even possibly other services there. But equally pressing is the access to recreation in our outlying areas so more than elite teams can have ample access to all forms of recreation at more reasonable prices.
Do you support an adopt-a-park program in which service or volunteer groups assume some maintenance (grass cutting) of some municipal facilities?
Yes. A pilot project should determine if needs can be met and there is community buy-in. Constituents can take pride in and contribute to their communities while still providing for some full and contract job opportunities. An engaged community is a positive one.
Do you support investigating a reduction in the number of municipal councilors?
Yes. I would also like to see a concentric or pie-shaped division of our wards so that those councillors elected have a broader view of Chatham-Kent because they have both rural and urban responsibilities in each ward.
