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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2003-10-29, Page 6a-TMR MINION expoesvott, OOTow n ae, 2003 Municipal Election 2003 Dunbar running for mayor to promote Huron East Robin Dunbar is a retired farmer in Grey and lives on a family farm that has been in his family for more than 100 years. He produced films and television materials on education and health. He served on Grey Township council for 12 years, on county council and was chair of of the social services and library committee. Presently, he is chair of the Huron East police services board, on the county library board, Huron -Perth Children's Aid board and the community policing committee. He has a daughter who is attending the University of Ottawa. What inspired you to run for office in Huron East? I believe in servicing the public. I was involved in the formation of Huron and I want it to work for the benefit of all residents. This means providing the needed services and controlling the cost of government. What are the personal strengths and experience you bring to the job of municipal representative? I have the experience, education and energy to bring to the job. I have the time to promote Huron East both within the muncipality and beyond. I am a good listener, I am patient, and even tempered. I believe that I have the skills to unite the council and municipality What are the greatest challenges you see facing your ward? Huron East? How to you plan to meet them if elected? The biggest challenge is that each ward faces unique problems. People in each ward must be dealth with fairly. For example, water remains the biggest problem in Seaforth. The rural wards face other problems. All residents must feel that Huron East is addressing their problems. Both local and county staff must respond to the needs of the ratepayers. I would ensure firm direction. I would meet the challenge by spending time promoting Huron East by talking to groups of ratepayers about their issues. Council must learn to respond to local issues. • How do you plan to ensure that council and its committees, such as the Seaforth community development trust, operate in as public and accountable a fashion as possible? There is no need for secrecy in government. All transactions should be in full view of .the public, except for personnel matters and property transactions. Those who serve the public must be open to the scrutiny of the Robin Dunbar public. All boards, including the trust must be open to the public and the records of transactions must be produced in a timely manner. Huron East has been grappling with a deficit from the Tuckersmith Day Nursery and with a concern about providing support to daycare centres throughout the municipality. What are your views about the municipality's responsibility in regards to daycare? Daycare benefits the children who attend and the whole community. The Tuckersmith Daycare is vital to that community. The challenge is that there are three daycare system, each operating under different management and different rules. Thus, there is a question of equity. The municipality must be fair in its dealings with the three centres which all benefit the community. What are your views about how well amaigamation is working for Huron East? How would you seek to improve the situation? The first stage - the physical and political process of amalgamation is over, however, people do not feel that they are a part of the new municipality. Each ward still operates in different ways in some areas such as waste pick-up and recycling. The challenge is to promote Huron East within the community. I would take the time to promote it by speaking to as many groups as possible about Huron Fast, listening to their concerns and attempting to address them. What are your views about economic development in Huron East? Are you satisfied with the direction Huron East is going in attracting new businesses and promoting what the area has to offer? Taxes are continuing to rise. The county portion is the largest part of the tax bill. To keep and attract people and business, we must control taxes. I was on the North Huron Development Board for Grey Township and I am vice president of the Huron Business Development Corporation which is located in Seaforth. We must define development - is it Main Street keeping the industry we have or finding new businesses. The public must be involved in the process. Huron East is only taking the first steps in developing a strategy and coming up with a plan. We must build on our assets and focus our energy or our efforts will be diluted and produce few results. As deputy -mayor, Agar wants to stress positives of each ward Maureen Agar is married to Meryn with four children. They have farmed and volunteered in the community for 30 -plus years. She works at the Seaforth golf course. What insphed you to run for office in Huron East? The timing is right for me. All my children are away now and I have the time to devote to the very important work that needs to be done by a member of municipal council. I have always been interested in making our community the best it can be. What are the personal strengths and bring to the � oexpermunicipal re'1II havetspent over 30 years volunteering in our community. I was a member of the Seaforth and District Minor Hockey Association for over seven years and for two of those years I was president. I was chair of St. James School and Seaforth District High School and worked on Homecoming '95 for SDHS. I have been on the ball committee in Winthrop and I have coached or managed many sports teams. What are the greatest challenges you see facing your ward? Huron East? How doou plan to meet them u I think that we must work very hard to make sure that the amalgamation of Huron East is successful. We spend far too much time thinking of all the negative aspects of amalgamation and forget to celebrate the positives. I will Maureen Agar work hard for every area in Huron East to make sure each ward feels important and that their concerns are not only heard but that solutions are found. How do you plan to ensure that council and its committees, such as the Seaforth community development trust, operate in as public and accountable a fashion as possible? I think it is only fair for the people of Huron East to expect accountability and transparency when' it involves their money. I think the council needs to reassess how committees work and how they report to the people of Huron East. Huron East has been grappling with a deficit from the Tuckersmith Day Nursery and with a concern about providing support to daycare centres throughout the municipality. What are your views about the municipality's responsiblity in regards to daycare? Our children are our greatest resource. We need to ensure the safety and well being of the children of Huron East. In order to attract and retain young families in our community we need to reasses our priorities. What are your views about how well amalgamation is working for Huron East? How'wouid you seek to improve the situation? Our communities need to stay focussed on amalgamation and making it work in Huron East. We need to support each other and celebrate the accomplishments of each area. I think we need to understand the positives of amalgamation and use these to enhance Huron East. What are your views about economic development in Huron East? Are you satisfied with the direction Huron East is going in attracting new businesses and promoting what the area has to offer? I feel that Huron East needs to always be reassessing how they want to promote the community. In order to attract others to our area we need to feel comfortable within our own boundaries. I think we need to make sure that each ward's strengths are utilized to the best of their abilities and we need to understand the benefits to our municipality by doing this. The citizens of Huron East have numerous ideas that would promote our community and we need to work together as a family to ensure that we make Huron East the best place it can be. Seili wants to continue job building Huron East as mayor Joe Seili has been married to his wife Debbie for 28 years and has three children and two grandchildren. He has owned Huron Feeding Systems for 25 years. He has been an Optimist for 15 -plus years, helped with the former Brussels Crusaders, Brussels Homecoming, Walton Motocross and Brussels Business Group. What inspired you to run for office in Huron East? I want to continue the work we started to build this new municipality and make Huron East the best part of the entire Huron County. What are the personal strengths and experience you bring to the job of municipal representative? I have six years' experience on Brussels' council and three years for Huron East. I spend a lot of nights involved with Brussels recreation, Brussels trust fund, Huron East fire board, Huron East economic development committee. I feel common sense and fair representation are necessary for this position. What are the greatest challenges you see facing your ward? Huron East? How do you plan to meet them if elected? The greatest challenges in Huron East are to make people stop and see what we have to offer. They are already coming to the north and south regions on their way to the lake and the sales barn. More businesses=more jobs=lower taxes for all. I want to continue the work we have started with council during the last three years. The economic development committee has a good beginning, but the whole process will take time. How do you plan to ensure that council and its committees, such as the Seaforth community development trust, operate in as public and accountable a fashion as possible? Committees and council have worked well together. As far as the Seaforth trust fund is concerned, I think they know what council Joe Seili and the public want. Huron East has been grappling with a deficit from the Tuckersmith Day Nursery and with a concern about providing support to daycare centres throughout the municipality. What are your views about the municipality's responsiblity in regards to daycare? My view on daycare is that it is a much needed service. As far as our municipality is concerned, we need to talk to our neighbours to find a solution to the larger operating costs. Perhaps a cooperative daycare is needed where parents can have a bigger involvement. What are your views about how well amalgamation is working for Huron East? How would you seek to improve the situation? Amalgamation in Huron East has worked well. We are a family of 9,500 people. We are bound to have differences and area protection. The previous council was elected to do just that. Perhaps if councillors from each area could spend a little more time in other areas learning about one another, it would help. We have a huge are from Molesworth to almost Hensall. • What are your views about economic development in Huron East? Are you satisfied with the direction Huron East is going in attracting new businesses and promoting what the area has to offer? We need to continue what we started with economic development. Things are coming together better now after two years. Ralph and the committee have made tremendous headway with a website, and they are working on a slogan for advertising. Ralph now has a list of available land in Huron East for new or expanding businesses to see. It will take time to promote the area. In Brussels, the industrial park has seen two new businesses arrive and more interest is shown every week. We can do the same for the other four wards. MacLellan wants to give value for tax dollars as deputy -mayor Bernie MacLellan, the current deputy -mayor of Huron East, has been married for 17 years to Helen and they have four children. He owns and runs Jamco Trailers in Brucefield which builds horse and livestock trailers. He has also recently started up a new business, BMB Products, in Huron Park which builds cargo trailers, boats and fire trucks. What inspired you to run for office in Huron East? Athough this position has taken a lot more time than anticipated, it is easy to want to do this job again when working with individuals who are trying so hard to make their community a better place to live. What are the personal strengths and experience you bring to the job of municipal representative? Deputy Mayor Huron East — last three years, councillor for the former municipality of Tuckersmith for seven years, county councillor for the last three years, chairman of the Agriculture and Public Works and Seniors Committee for one term, health and planning committee,. Mid -Huron Landfill Site board, Hensall and Clinton fire board, Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority. Personal strengths - I am a local business owner and as a business owner my greatest strength is the ability to quickly sum things up from a financial stand point. What are the greatest challenges you see facing your ward? H::: nn Erst? How to you plan to meet them if elected? The challenge that faces every elected representative is giving the ratepayers value for their cash dollars. Probably the hardest issue that Huron THE SUN DOESN'T SHINE EVERY DAY, BUT WE DO! Take a mini vacation and relax In our comfortable tanning rooms! We use the latest equipment, so you tan evenly. safely and qulckty. • Cale today to schedule an appointment. OTAL IMAGE H We create beauty in your life! 59 Main St. S., Seaforth 519-52741780 Bernie MacLellan Fast council will have to deal with in the near future is how they plan to handle the day care issue. How' do you plan to ensure that council and its committees, such as the Seaforth community development trust, operate in as public and accountable a fashion as possible? I feel it was a mistake that the council transferred so much control to the Seaforth trust committee. I am not opposed to the two projects 'hat the trust fund has embarked on, as on their face value they appear to be good investments for the town. I am uncomfortable having over $1 million of ratepayer's money being controlled by an unelected committee that has no responsibility to the Huron East council. If re-elected I feel the council should take back the responsibility of ensuring that the public's money is handled in an accountable manner. Huron East has been grappling with a deficit from the Tuckersmith Day Nursery and with a concern about providing support to daycare centres throughout the municipality. What are your views about the municipality's responsibility in regards to daycare? I feel daycare is a service we should provide. It is a service that a portion of the community has come to depend on. The unfortunate part for the ratepayers of Huron East, is that we are not only subsidizing ourselves but also families from other municipalities. We need to find a way to make the daycare operate on or close to break even. If this cannot be accomplished and we decide to continue with day care service, then I would like to see our tax dollars only be used to subsidize Huron East families. What are your views about how well amalgamation is working for Huron East? Amalgamation is a struggle in the fact that the five separate wards have been able to do things their way forever. I have attended other municipal councils since amalgamation and I have yet to find another municipality that works as well together as Huron East. Improving the situation is one of the major responsibilities of the deputy -mayor. My position dictates that I speak for all wards in trying to bring the urban and rural opinions together for the benefit of Huron East. What are your views about economic development in Huron East? Economic development is a long-term project. I have made a commitment to an initial three-year program with the intent of evaluating the economic development position prior to the third year. 1 believe economic development is worth investing in as a municipality. We have hired a new offide' and I feel that Ralph will be very beneficial to Huron East. To