WHITEWATER REGION — Donnie Rathwell is hoping he’ll be re-elected to sit on the council for Whitewater Region township.
He has opted to run as a councillor, a position he hasn’t had on this council, as he was formerly the depty-mayor, mayor and reeve.
Mr. Rathwell was defeated in the 2014 election as he ran for another term as reeve. He wasn’t sure he was going to run again, but with a recent hip replacement and the encouragement of many people to run again, he tossed his hat into the ring.
When his daughter Cathy Regier decided to vie for the reeve’s position this year, he saw an opportunity to get back onto council because there would be an empty seat.
“I’ve never been a councillor in this township,” he said. “I’ve been deputy-mayor, mayor and reeve.
“I miss working on council. I never got bored. I can count on one hand how many meetings I missed,” he recalled. “I enjoy working with people.
“In my 30-years plus in municipal politics, I was used well by the people.
“That is a strength I have, working with people.”
Even though Mr. Rathwell is a senior citizen, his health is fine. He acknowledged his eyes were recently tested and if he didn’t want to, he would not have to wear his glasses driving.
“I don’t feel old,” he said. “I feel as good as I did 20 years ago.”
And that doesn’t surprise him, as he recalled his father, who lived to the age of 96, was still active running the family farm and looking after the kids.
Mr. Rathwell believes there are a few issues facing the township, one being the upgrade to the waste water plant in Cobden. With an expense of between $12 million and $13 million, the residents of Cobden who have to pay for it, will have to dig deep in their pockets.
Even though the provincial and federal governments have each given $3 million to the project, Mr. Rathwell said that’s still going to leave at least $6 million to be covered by the residents.
With a provincial government that is more interested in the rural areas, he believes council should go back and ask for more funding.
“We need to come up with a plan to get additional dollars for a job of this magnitude,” he said.
With his expertise and experience in talking with ministers, Mr. Rathwell feels he would be a benefit in that area.
“If the mayor and CAO and council want me to attend meetings, I would do so,” he said. “I’m in a position to help in that area.
“The connections I have made in municipal politics will benefit the municipality if I’m elected a councillor.”
Planning and zoning are also important to the township, he said. While the county’s official plan used to be a “one shoe fits all,” Mr. Rathwell said that changed in 2009 and municipalities could make changes to it that better suited their needs. However, he believes the township has fallen behind on this. He noted the zoning bylaws still need to be updated to follow the amendments made to the plan.
“The future of development depends on the official plan and zoning bylaws,” he said. “People want to come here,” but, not if they can’t build.
Mr. Rathwell would also like to have a review of council to see if it can go down to five members. He recalled he was successful in getting it down from nine to seven members.
“Do we need five councillors, a reeve and a mayor,” he questioned. “I’d like to see three councillors, a reeve and a mayor.”
He would ask that the review be done in the first year of the new council.
“That would save us $30,000,” he said.
As for other issues, Mr. Rathwell said there isn’t just issues to be resolved.
“You run on making Whitewater Region the best municipality in Renfrew County,” he said.
A municipal politician with 32 years of experience, Mr. Rathwell said there are always people who question decisions that are made, and there are some people who will never be happy.
Mr. Rathwell said he doesn’t have to be the top councillor with the most votes, he would settle for being number five.
Born, raised, worked and retired in the area, he remains community-minded. He and Beverly have been married for 62 years, raised six children (two are deceased), have eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
