My responses to residents: 4

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Questions? I have answers.NB: As a candidate for Deputy Mayor in the upcoming municipal election, I receive questions from residents about my stand on various issues and policies. I will post my responses here for everyone to read. My responses are in italics, below.

Please keep your answers short and to the point. The following are my questions:

1.What do you see as the main issues in this upcoming election campaign?

Answer: A return to open, accountable and ethical government to regain the trust of the people and staff is the first priority.

2.What experience do you bring to the office of Deputy Mayor?

Answer: Three terms on council, a dozen years before that in local media covering regional councils and politics, two decades serving on municipal boards and committees, serving the last four years on the county’s library, museum and archives board, serving the past two years on the local source protection committee. Plus being a contributor to Municipal World as both feature writer and book author on municipal issues. Plus owning and operating a successful local retail business for a decade which taught me much about financial management and budgeting.

3.What is your vision for Collingwood?

Answer: A return to open, accountable and ethical government will allow us to rebuild our tattered reputation, and restore public faith in town hall. A return to proper fiscal management will allow us to take on projects and initiatives for the betterment of the people and the town.


4. What is your opinion of the upcoming Collus Judicial inquiry?

Answer: An expensive ploy to further some candidates’ election chances through dirty politics. Imagine the good things that could have been accomplished for the residents with that money. Politics should always be about serving the greater good, not a personal agenda.

5. Are you in support of the ongoing OPP investigation?

Answer: The investigation is ongoing regardless of anyone’s support for it. The investigation was a witch hunt to discredit some members of the former council and it will exonerate them when it’s finished. We all look forward to that closure.

6.What is your view on Collingwood’s current financial condition?

Answer: Fiscal mismanagement and reckless spending have been combined with raising taxes four times in four years. IT department spending alone quadrupled this term. Public assets were sold without public consultation. Too many new staff are being hired. The judicial inquiry could cost more than $6 million of taxpayer’s money. The bleeding has to stop and the spending curtailed.

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