Community service has been a lifelong passion of mine. I have served on many boards, both at the municipal and the non-profit level, in various capacities.
I have 23 years of service in the banking industry.
I would have started a “political” run earlier in life, however, I felt it was more important to raise my children versus fulfilling my own political aspirations. Now that my children have grown up and have started their careers or started their post-secondary education, it is now time to move forward with my next step in community service.
I have taken the time over the past few years to review our municipal budget and have made presentations to the budget committee during the public consultations, presenting areas where I felt that there were ways to save budget dollars.
I am running to ensure that everyone who is looking for a place to open a business, build a home or start a family can do it here in Chatham-Kent.
My name is Don Fuoco and I look forward to your support on October 22, 2018.
- 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. Each year we continue to fall behind in infrastructure requirements. We can find money within existing budgets to pay for the increased funding, without having to go to the taxpayer each time. Is there a reason why we cannot use reserves to do this? With respect to culverts, we should be consulting with our farming community as they have solutions that can be more cost effective and that can fulfil the purpose.
- Would you support a tax freeze or rollback if it meant reduced staff and/or services?
YES. There are areas where we continue to budget the same amounts of money even though we have not spent the money in full. Unless there is a compelling reason why an unused budgeted item is spent, we should only be spending what was spent the prior year.
- Would you support shifting some services to the private sector if those services could be done more efficiently that way?
YES We have to stay competitive in this global economy in which we live. Just like any large or small business, the municipality should always be looking for more efficient ways of delivering services and if that means going out to the private sector, then we should do it. This DOES NOT mean that people must lose their jobs. It could mean moving resources to different departments where slack is needed to be picked up.
- Do you believe we need a municipal ombudsman or ethics commissioner?
YES. It is important that the taxpayers know that there is a person/place to go to if there is ever a concern. An open and transparent Municipality is what we need.
- Do you support investigating a reduction in the number of council members?
YES Many large, multi-billion dollar corporations have fewer board members than Chatham Kent has councilors and those boards make effective decisions to run and grow their perspective businesses. Their customers and shareholders count on it! Similarly, Municipal Council should be able to make those same decisions with fewer Councillors providing that there is an equitable distribution between urban and rural taxpayers. aka customers, aka shareholders
- Should the municipality try to land an Ontario Cannabis Store as soon as possible?
NO There is no need to be the first. Let other jurisdictions figure out what the ramifications are of this new legislation. We DO NOT need to be a leader in this area.
- Should council be more proactive in terms of working with landowners with contaminated wells?
YES. The provincial government at the time made this mess and it is the provincial government that needs to come up with a solution/funding. Holding the wind companies accountable should be the first order of business. Those affected by contaminated wells cannot wait any longer…some have been affected for years and I cannot imagine what they are going through, seeing the results of what is coming out of their taps. Council should lead the advocacy for those landowners!
- Some critics say the municipal building department is an impediment to development in C-K. Do you agree?
YES. I have spoken to many business owners who have tried to put money into their own business to expand and have run into road blocks, even to the point of legal challenges. While I agree there must be order, we need to ensure that any business that wants to invest their own money into their own business must come to a “YES” as quickly as possible.
- Do you believe Chatham needs a new twin-pad arena?
YES First it cannot only be a twin pad arena. It has to be a sports complex, where the facility has the capability to operate year round and providing more opportunities than just hockey. The sports complex should be open to entrepreneurs to operate businesses within the complex to help generate revenues…examples of this would include restaurant/café, high ropes course, indoor go cart track, arcade etc. Only to proceed with the majority of the project being funded by our Federal and Provincial Government. There has to be an extensive plan in place before we can start building. We ARE NOT going to get into another Capital Theatre/Convention Centre type drain on the taxpayers’ dollars.
- Should the municipality cut back on its expenditures for overseas economic development efforts?
YES What has been the results of any overseas economic development effort? There are lots of opportunities right here in Canada and those funds earmarked can be used to invest right here. CK represents great value when compared to large urban centres, in land acquisition…we just must promote that attractiveness. The Federal and Provincial governments usually have trade missions off shore and if there are opportunities to attend, I am certain, with a good relationship with our Federal and Provincial counterparts, we can be invited if warranted.
- Should municipal councillors ever be forced to go the Freedom of Information route when seeking municipal information?
YES. Are municipal councillors any better than the general public? In saying this, our Municipality has to make sure that any information that does not require to be “confidential”, should be easily accessible to the general public without the need of FOI route.
- Should members of the public have more access to municipal information without having to resort to an FOI?
YES
