BIOGRAPHY
For the past four years I have been a member of North Perth council and a number of committees including: Elma Logan Arena and Parks Committee; Recreation Advisory Committee; Elma Memorial Community Centre Committee; Atwood Cenotaph Committee, Mayor’s Task Force on Affordable Housing; as well as the Bluewater Recycling Association, and the Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley Source Protection Committee.
I graduated from the University of Waterloo’s School of Urban and Regional Planning and completed the post-graduate Municipal Administration Program, and received an Executive Diploma in Municipal Management as well.
My wife Nancy and I live on our farm in the Elma Ward. We have four adult children, and one grandchild. I have volunteered with Elma Minor Soccer, Listowel and Milverton Minor Hockey, Elma Township Public School, our church, 2005 and 2013 International Plowing Matches, and the Listowel Fair, as well as other community events.
I retired after a 32-year career in public service. As a professional planner I was directly involved in the development of our community and understand the many challenges that lie ahead. With your support, I wish to continue to represent the Elma Ward – working together with council and staff to serve all North Perth residents and businesses.
ISSUES
Sustainability. Our community needs to maintain economic growth while ensuring that our resources are not depleted and ensure that our residents can afford to live, work and play here.
While residential, commercial and industrial growth are needed in our community, this growth needs to be balanced and at higher densities to ensure that our agricultural lands are protected for our world-class agricultural producers to feed ourselves and the world. We must support our local businesses and producers so that they are sustained and we can thrive into the future.
The community needs to work collaboratively in order to recover from the negative impacts of the pandemic including: job losses; closed businesses; reduced income; increased isolation and negative effects on mental health; reduced education opportunities; lack of high-speed internet; and limited recreational opportunities.
Our municipality and social agencies must continue to build the social services for those in our community that need mental health support, family support, food and affordable shelter in our local community. The municipality needs to seek out groups that can build affordable housing for people. In addition, council needs to ensure that there are a range of housing types for individuals, as well as small and large families. In addition, there should be housing options available for those who have mobility issues, and those who require assistance from others to stay in their own homes. Indeed, we need housing for employees of our local businesses, and for those that wish to come to, or remain in our community.
Prior to the pandemic, council established Task Forces to make recommendations on: Mental Health, Youth Retention, Labour Attraction, and Affordable Housing. Many of these recommendations were incorporated into the municipality’s Strategic Plan. While there has been some progress, there is still much to do for our residents and businesses.
Council must work with all orders of government to ensure that our community takes advantage of the opportunities and programs that are available to address our local needs. Unfortunately, not all of our applications for funding programs have been approved. While disappointing, it means that if the projects are important to the community, we will have to look at different ways to undertake these community improvements (i.e. Elma Memorial Community Centre upgrade and Atwood Library relocation, and upgrades at the Monkton and Trowbridge parks).
Council must plan for a bypass around downtown Listowel by working with the province and others for the installation of roundabouts on Highway 23 at both Line 84 and Line 87 to ensure a safe, efficient transportation system. According to our Master Transportation Plan this project is going to cost between $6.6M and $23.6M and could take at least five years to implement. Road safety is an important consideration not only for the drivers of vehicles, but also for farmers that are using the roads.
North Perth is a great community! We must strive to make sure it is sustainable, welcoming and affordable for all of our residents.
