An overflow crowd of more than 50 people filled the meeting room at the Campbellford library on Saturday morning to meet, greet, and question 11 candidates in the municipal election.
Event organizer Susan Fedorka kept the session under control and on time insisting that questions be short and too the point and answers not ramble on.
On hand were these candidates:
Ward 1: Adam Baguley, Jana Reid, Karen Ulrich
Ward 2: Erick Baron-Joyner, Adam Briggs, Tina Burke, Rob Pope
Ward 3: Viv Smallwood, Sandra Walls
Mayor: Steven Haylestrom, Mike Metcalf
Even before things got started it was agreed that everyone there opposed the Alto High-Speed Rail plan so there was no need to ask candidates about that problem.
Not surprisingly, the first question was about taxes. No one was in favour of paying more. But later in the meeting mayoral candidate Mike Metcalf did warn everyone that “taxes aren’t going down.”
Several candidates promised that if elected they would go over the municipality’s accounts with a fine-tooth comb looking for places to cut and save.
Rob Pope, who is running for re-election in Ward 2, noted that his views had changed somewhat since he’s been on council and he hadn’t been able to follow through on some issues after facing the realities of governing.
A couple questioners, including Ethan Armit, who is running in Ward 5, and former mayor Cathy Redden, asked Haylestrom why he’s running for mayor instead of getting experience on council first.
Haylestrom suggested his experience leading businesses prepared him for the top job.
Metcalf was asked about the municipality’s relationship with the efforts to build a new hospital.
He noted that he’s been involved in meetings with the province for five years pushing it to move ahead and supporting the new building.
The municipality will face the cost of extending sewer and water services to the location. Metcalf said that if a special levy is imposed to raise money for the project he would like it to be listed separately on our tax bills so it will be clear to residents where that money is going.
Haylestrom is listing transportation, or the lack of it, as a campaign issue. There was a lengthy discussion about the absence of cab service in Trent Hills.
Metcalf said that a bylaw regulating taxis had been repealed, in part to open the door for ride-sharing services such as Uber to service the area.
There was some discussion of the new bridge, or lack thereof, but no one had a spare $40 million or more to get one built.
The candidates for mayor will join the three candidates running in Ward 5 (Hastings) at a meeting on Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Hastings library branch starting at 1 p.m.
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The comment of working with the province for five years, why was it not brought out at council. I am sure Art Chamberlain would have reported on it. The only thing I read when the foundation asked that a property charge be waived. Somebody I presume an elected official laught After four years what has the rate payers learned from this council about th building of a new hospital. It is a little late now to make comments on the bridge and the hospital. Rob Pope admitted that he didn,t get all things done that he thought he could. I sent him a message about the looks of the picnic tables at Crowe River and the pot holes roads in Campbellford. Campbellford has the most utility customers,the biggest. Hospital multi care nursing homes retirement homes, sell water to the institution and the worst streets of the three urban centres. Now is the time Ward one and two to get after our candidates. Talk is cheap how about some action. I am sure Art Chamberlain will report if he sees some action.
I would be interested to know how many candidates or attendees have read the 84 page business case, produced by Alto. It is a comprehensive and positive document outlining one of most ambitious and very much needed projects in Canada's history.