CARA presses candidates on special interest topics

Candidates for mayor, deputy mayor and council members for Ward 2 and 5 had an opportunity to present themselves to the voters on Sunday during an all candidates meeting in Creemore.

The event was hosted by the Creemore and Area Residents Association.

The association kept the themes of the meeting to a specific agenda by asking very pointed questions about wind turbines, the Collingwood Street Bridge, township spending and staffing levels.

When asked if they had a chance to vote on wind turbines would they vote in favour or against, candidates were instructed to give a yes or no answer.

Acknowledging that is was a hypothetical question, most answered no, to roaring applause. Ward 5 candidate Robert McArthur and mayoral candidate Alicia Savage were the only two to say they would support wind turbines.

When pressed, most candidates also said they agree that the township has overspent and is overstaffed.

Asked to state one key issue, Savage said financial sustainability and planning for rising outside financial pressures is a priority. Her opponent Chris Vanderkruys said community engagement and communication is key.

Deputy mayor candidate Larry Culham said rebuilding trust in council through communication is key with opponent Barry Burton citing growth and development as the top priority.

Ward 2 candidate Kevin Elwood said development is the number one issue with his opponent Donna Baylis, who put herself out as a Green candidate, said it is the right to a healthy environment.

Ward 5 candidate Thom Paterson said long-term financial planning is key with his opponent McArthur going with economic development.

On Creemore’s Collingwood Street Bridge, Savage and Culham said, if elected, as county councillors they would support the reconstruction project and see it widened to two lanes and brought up to standard while finding some way to incorporate the steel arches into the trail system or find some other use.

Vanderkruys and Burton said they would see the bridge preserved and restored.

On track with Thursday’s debate in Stayner (see http://www.thecreemoreecho.com/2014/10/clearview-debate-centres-on-growth-economic-develpment/) growth and development were among the hot topics.

Many candidates are talking about how to diversify the tax base and how to encourage residential growth in order to take some of the burden off current taxpayers.

“Sometimes we need to get out of the way,” said Thom Paterson, of streamlining the bureaucratic process for those wanting to develop in Clearview Township.

Many candidates have addressed the perceived public perception that Clearview Township is not ‘open for business’.

Elwood said, in his experience there were fewer hurdles back in the 1990s when he was opening a business.

McArthur said his agricultural background is his main drive.

“With Ken [Ferguson] stepping down, there’s going to be a void in agriculture, which is the largest economic driver in the township,” said McArthur. “We need to overhaul the planning department. We like our little village here but as a group we have to go ahead.”