There are four candidates for themayor’s position. They are incumbent Mayor Jim Labow, former public works manager for Whitewater Region Township Hal Johnson, businessman Doug Shields and retired teacher and current councillor Joey Trimm.
They each had three minutes to address the audience at the all candidates meeting in Westmeath last Thursday.
JIM LABOW
Incumbent Jim Labow was first to the podium. He noted he grew up in the former Westmeath Township and has called Beachburg home all his life. He has been a municipal politician for 23 years, the last four as mayor of Whitewater Region Township.
One of the most important moments for Mayor Labow was the approval of the amendment to the Official Plan, which just occurred within the last few months. While awaiting final approval of the official plan from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, council must now begin working on the Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw, he said.
The first strategic plan was also completed for the township, Mayor Labow noted. This document will “give a vision of the direction the township needs to go in to achieve its goals,” he said. “This is a living document that must be updated periodically and used during the preparation of the township budget.”
The budget is a difficult process as there is not enough funding to meet all the needs of the municipality, he said. The assessment for policing will hit the township hard, with an estimated increase of $40 per household, he said.
“It will impact a lot of other portions of our township budget, as we struggle with the choices that must be made to find the money for this item,” he said.
The roads system is the most expensive item in the budget, Mayor Labow said.
“The economics must be found to make the necessary maintenance and improvements that were identified in our asset management plan,” Mayor Labow said.
All other areas of operations within the township, as well as the service levels, must be examined closely, he said.
“We must work on ways to promote development to broaden our tax base, while at the same time preserving the agricultural heritage and rural values that are so important to our history,” he added.
Mayor Labow said he has a lifetime of working and volunteering within the community. Returning to the area after university, he was invited to join the North Renfrew Junior Farmers, where he eventually became club president, provincial director for Renfrew County and then executive director for eastern Ontario. As representative for junior farmers, he attended the inaugural meeting of the Renfrew County Plowmen’s Association, became the first treasurer and then secretary/treasurer. He has also been a member of the Beachburg Lions Club for 29 years.
During the last 20 years, he has represented council on the Pembroke and Area Airport Commission, Ottawa River Power Corporation and the Upper Ottawa Valley medical Recruitment Committee, at various events and even held meetings with provincial ministers.
HAL JOHNSON
Hal Johnson, who is in a legal battle with the township following his dismissal as public works supervisor a few years ago, said, “I have over 15 years working with municipal government, 10 of those I was public works supervisor of Whitewater Township. I continue to work with municipal government in my current job.”
This is not his first time running in a municipal election. He served two terms on the former Beachburg council.
“We need to look at this municipality as one community,” he said. “My vision is I want the public to have a say at council meetings. I want to have an open forum at the end of council meetings.”
The committee structure should change and qualified people from the township should be asked to sit on committees, he said. Mr. Johnson believes there are many people with a variety of talents and expertise in the community, who should be sought out.
Change is also required so development is encouraged, such as fast-tracking building permits, Mr. Johnson said. Council needs to work with representatives from the province, county and private companies to help achieve development, he said.
Mr. Johnson also pointed out the great strengths in the municipality, such as the strong agriculture base, tourism and recreation, a community health centre, schools and a strong volunteer community.
“We have great communities to raise our families in,” he said. “We need to continue to work with them, to implement ways to keep strong recreation, education and business communities. We need to work with the county to increase economic growth within the county and township.
“We know that income and education improve health. We know that a strong community will grow happy, healthy individuals,” Mr. Johnson said, adding, “We need to make sure, as a municipality, all is being done to provide for and encourage growth to move to economic strength and at the same time maintain reasonable taxes so the people will want to stay within our community and others will want to come and live with us.”
DOUG SHIELDS
Businessman Doug Shields stood up and said, “I want to be your new mayor for Whitewater Region. It’s time for change by electing a council who will stand up to Toronto politicians and bureaucrats. A council who will express their approval or disapproval to decisions made at both the provincial and county levels. Let’s put an end to the personal agendas of un-elected municipal functionaries who have been dictating what council does. The council must work for the people, not the other way around.”
Council must listen to the people and do their bidding, he said. Growth and development must be a priority, he said. It’s sad to know that only 94 more people are on the voters list this year compared to four years ago, he noted.
Mr. Shields is not sure why council has prevented growth. Encouraging building creates jobs and supports local businesses, he said. Schools and churches will fill up and the recreational facilities will be used more, he added.
With growth and development, there will be a larger tax base to help ease costs of public services, Mr. Shields said. He said many property owners have tried to develop their property, only to be prevented from doing so because of regulations.
“We need a council who supports your future plans, that will work with you to see them through to reality,” Mr. Shields said. “A community that does not grow, dies.”
Since the 2010 election, Mr. Shields has attended about 75 per cent of all council meetings and saw how large amounts of money was spent on equipment that sits idle at township garages, as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on consultant fees.
“This fiscal incompetence must end,” he said. “It’s time to decide. Do we hold onto the past or do we elect people who aren’t afraid to confront the challenges head on?”
If elected mayor, Mr. Shields will act accordingly after listening to the people, will work hard with honesty and integrity and stand up for the rights of all Whitewater citizens.
JOEY TRIMM
Councillor Joey Trimm, who is running for mayor, said, “I’m not moving. I wasn’t born here and I didn’t spend my formative years here.
“I came here as a young adult to teach in a two-room school right here in the hamlet of Westmeath.”
It was the first teaching job, thinking it would be a stepping stone for bigger and better things, he said. However, he remained, making lifelong friends as he continued to teach, marry, have children and become a property owner.
When amalgamation occurred, Coun. Trimm wanted to be in on the ground floor of a new municipality and threw his hat into the ring and was elected.
“If I have learned anything in the last 14 years, it’s that you cannot build a new community overnight,” Coun. Trimm said. “The growing pains have sometimes been a challenge, and as a councillor I have often been frustrated by the lack of change.
“We do need change and it is long overdue,” he said.
If elected mayor, Coun. Trimm said he sets the agenda for the next four years and the difficult questions will be put on the table to be discussed. A strong believer of the township, he said it can be a great community to live, work, play and retire.
There are very hard decisions to make in order to move forward, Coun. Trimm said. How services are delivered within the township must be re-examined, he said, including road construction practices so the best cost-effective measures are being used; as well as fire and environmental services, work to improve financial management of the township, including getting the budget done sooner.
“Ours is now an $8 million budget, and I promise to spend each dollar as if it was my own,” he said. “My record shows, and you can check, that I question every penny spent.”
Ending his talk, Coun. Trimm said, “I want to take a leadership role in making our municipal community a place of opportunities with a good quality of life so more people can say as I have, this is my home and I’m not moving.”
