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The Citizen, 2010-10-21, Page 9THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2010. PAGE 9. Economic development hot topic in Huron East Microchips Save Lives! Seaforth Animal Hospital MICROCHIP CLINIC Sat.,October 30th 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Cost $25.00 + HST Proceeds to the Farley Foundation Helping people, healing pets! To pre-register call 519-527-1760 Walk-ins Also Welcome! MUNICIPAL ELECTION 2010 BERNIE MACLELLAN Current two-term deputy-mayor of Huron East Bernie MacLellan says he felt the time was right to take a step up and run for mayor. In addition to his terms served on council, MacLellan has served on several boards and committees through his council commitments. He has over 16 years of experience in municipal politics. Going forward, MacLellan says Huron East has to expand its business sector and allow for more housing for people who will eventually fill the jobs at new businesses. MacLellan says there are also opportunities for the municipality to invest in programs that could help reduce property taxes over a long period of time. Planning for the future is the key to moving forward, he says. MacLellan says one big problem going forward is the downloading of Huron County boundary bridges to the municipalities, many of which are in Huron East. MacLellan says that Huron County has decided to download these bridges onto Huron East as a means of balancing its budget and that the municipality will have to lobby at the federal and provincial levels for assistance with those increased costs. MacLellan says the Brussels Library is also a priority. He says council is committed to a new library and is ready to proceed. While the project was held up due to negotiations with the Avon Maitland District School Board at a time when it was thought that the school and library could be consolidated, that is no longer an option and he is ready to proceed with the project. MacLellan says he is happy with how involved Huron East has been with economic development over the years. Huron East is one of only two municipalities with a full-time economic development officer, he says, so it has been shown to be a priority in Huron East. Economic development is a long-term project, he says, and it will need long-term support to be successful. JOSEPH SEILI Current Huron East Mayor Joe Seili decided to take a step back and not run for mayor again, but he wishes to continue to serve Huron East residents and he is running for Brussels Ward Councillor. Seili has served two terms as mayor of Huron East and had been a Brussels Councillor from 1994 until his time as mayor. At the time Seili filed, only one Brussels representative had filed for nomination and Seili felt additional pressure from his family and friends, so he decided to attempt to re-enter the world of municipal politics. Seili says that because federal and provincial grants work better for projects that are shovel- ready, it is important that projects in Huron East are ready in time to take advantage of these grants. He says that the province mandates issues on the environment and accessibility and those projects in Huron East need to be ready to move ahead as soon as possible. Seili says his personal goal is to represent Brussels, while moving all of Huron East forward. He says that while votes and decisions don’t always suit the individual ratepayer, the municipality needs to think outside the box going forward. FRANK STRETTON Incumbent Brussels Ward Councillor in Huron East Frank Stretton is running to retain his position. Stretton has served two terms in the Brussels Ward of Huron East, as well as one three-year term as a councillor on Brussels Council. Stretton has also been involved with numerous local service clubs and community projects over the years. Stretton decided to run once again because he has always had an interest in his community and he has always wanted to make it a better place to live. He also wants to continue his work on council, saying that he wants to finish what he’s started over the last seven years. He also wished to give Brussels a democratic choice in this election. The most important issues going forward, Stretton says, are to maintain municipal services at a reasonable tax rate, given all the current cutbacks in funding from the province. He hopes to develop a plan to replace the aging water system piping in Brussels, in conjunction with street upgrades. He hopes to maintain and renovate existing infrastructure like the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre. He also thinks that making a final decision on the Brussels Library and completing the project is important. Stretton says he hopes to enhance healthcare services throughout Huron East and promote economic development within the municipality’s fiscal means to bring industry and jobs to the area, which could lead to further residential development and potential new businesses. Stretton says his personal goal is to get councillors involved in new committees, specifically in the administration and water and sewer committees on a personal level, which he says would allow him to broaden his involvement in projects being undertaken by the municipality. He also hopes to improve on his view of the Brussels Ward, which involvement in more committees may be able to help. PAUL VANDERMOLEN Paul VanderMolen is running for the position of mayor in the Municipality of Huron East. While VanderMolen hasn’t served any previous terms on council, he feels that he can provide dynamic and fair leadership that works hard for the community. VanderMolen has served on several boards and committees, such as the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority, the Seaforth Community Centre Board, the Vanastra Recreation Centre Board and many others. VanderMolen says he is concerned with developing long-term strategies to create better value and opportunities for ratepayers and that he would like to see more community involvement in municipal issues. Important issues for VanderMolen and Huron East going forward, he says, are providing 24-hour emergency hospital care in Seaforth and fair representation and due diligence on the issues at hand. His personal goal is to work hard and to develop stronger community ties and interest in the community through a more positive outlook on the future. DAVID BLANEY Incumbent Brussels Ward Councillor in Huron East David Blaney is running for the position for a third straight term. Blaney says the municipality spent the first decade of amalgamation reacting to the issues in a careful, logical and economical fashion and that the second decade should start ahead of the curve, acting and not reacting to build on the community strengths of Brussels. One of the biggest issues going forward, Blaney says, is the loss of Brussels Public School. He says it is important to plan ahead to overcome any economic damage as a result of that loss. Huron East needs to ensure that it retains the school property, he says, because it could become important in the strategy for an economic development project in the area based on the innovation of education, agriculture or the green economy. Blaney says that economic development is the only way that the municipality can meet the un-funded demands of the province and not increase the financial burden on local homeowners and ratepayers. Blaney says he has enjoyed his time as a councillor and the dedicated group he has worked with. He says he still has new and fresh ideas, and also the experience and knowledge that comes from two terms on council.