I bring experienced leadership with a new vision.
It isn’t enough to “love where you are from.” Loving your community is just the price of admission. Being involved in this community should be a prerequisite to serving it.
I encourage voters to look to candidates that have “walked the walk” through their leadership that have earned the trust, the respect and the confidence of others by building constructive relationships. Chose candidates that have proven their ability to lead successful change with tangible outcomes in this community, not elsewhere. I’ve been doing that for more than 15 years.
- Do you support increasing funding for infrastructure given the fact several culverts and bridges – including the Third Street Bridge – have had emergency issues and closures recently?
Yes – I would support the increase in funding for infrastructure. Many of our bridges (shockingly) seem to have come to the end of their life cycle within relatively close time to each other. This is creating much of the issue we see currently that tactically cannot be addressed at the exact same time. Unfortunately, it creates inconveniences and small disruptions in our daily routines.
- Would you support a tax freeze or rollback if it meant reduced staff and/or services?
No – I will not support any reduction of services to this community. Especially in any case where a specific service is designed to support those in need. In fact, I believe we need to make larger investment into many of our services such as affordable and accessible transportation.
- Would you support shifting some services to the private sector if those services could be done more efficiently that way?
Yes – Where the private sector can do it more efficiently. I would not support shifting any service that impacts either the quality of the service being provide or any reduction in accessibility to the service.
- Do you believe we need a municipal ombudsman or ethics commissioner?
Yes – It should give the community a clearer and more transparent means to have concerns addressed along with maintaining credibility and trust with the public.
- Do you support investigating a reduction in the number of council members?
Yes – Although I am not positive what the right number is or what the right number should be. There should be a set of minimum requirements or benchmarks, such as equal and fair access to all councillors, it must be impartial, not proportionally reduces representation for any single ward, it must not be unevenly distributed by ward based on the number of eligible voters that could conceptually unbalanced or create disproportionate voting outcomes in favour of any one ward over another. Simply we should eliminate ward boundaries altogether as the first step to a longer-term solution.
- Should the municipality try to land an Ontario Cannabis Store as soon as possible?
Yes – A legal market for recreational marijuana could give Canada’s economy a boost of up to $22.6 billion annually. Estimates suggest that marijuana sales, even initially, would be at least as large as hard liquor sales in Canada, at around $5 billion annually, maybe as large as $8.7 billion, making them as large as wine sales. How do we do this responsibly? It needs to be well considered and thought out so that we better understand the potential unintended consequences. I see opportunities in growing and distribution, paraphernalia, increased tourism and business taxes.
- Should council be more proactive in terms of working with landowners with contaminated wells?
Yes – 100% As leaders of the community the physical, mental and emotional health of our community should not come with a price tag. While I know CK earning revenue and has an equity ownership stake, we have a much bigger obligation to the health and wellness of people that live here. Their health is more important than any amount of revenue we earn!
- Some critics say the municipal building department is an impediment to development in C-K. Do you agree?
Yes – As former Chair of the Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce and Co-Chair of the Chatham-Kent Workforce Planning Board I’ve discussed many times the struggles and challenges of dealing with Municipal departments. The solution is simple. First listen, second take ownership – be accountable, finally move one inch forward and solve the issue or give guidance to someone that can. The mentality must be “How do I solve this concern for you?” This is not the current culture across all municipal departments.
- Do you believe Chatham needs a new twin-pad arena?
Yes – Financially it will cost more over time to build any sized new area by delaying it to the future. With 2 arenas that have outlived their usefulness, it costs more in repair and maintenance than it’s worth in keeping open. Overhead costs are double, staff wages double, inefficient refrigeration systems double, heating and cooling double, this makes it an obvious decision to me. What’s the economic cost of not doing it? Lost business? Lost Tax revenue? Lost social opportunity? The time to make a real investment into our community, financially and socially is now.
- Should the municipality cut back on its expenditures for overseas economic development efforts?
Yes – I believe we must continue to invest in business development and look for opportunities to open Chatham-Kent to new markets. Though I believe now is the time to look inward and better understand how to invest those dollars into our local businesses to help them grow and expand. It may not be about bring in a new factory, rather helping existing businesses accelerate their growth trajectory so that we can build long term stable employment opportunities.
- Should municipal councillors ever be forced to go the Freedom of Information route when seeking municipal information?
Yes – Councillors should have to follow the same rules and protocols as everyone else. This should not be held as privileged information that is only easily accessible to a few.
- Should members of the public have more access to municipal information without having to resort to an FOI?
No – What needs to be understood is the time and effort that these requests take from staff. Often these are archived information and not necessarily readily available. The more complex the request or amount of information being requested disrupts the normal or usual work staff is required to do in their normal course of work. These requests then take priority over core job duties and responsibilities.
