I have been a permanent resident of the Township of Strong for the last 30 years, prior to that I spent many years at the family cottage on Lake Bernard. I am a 14 year member of the Sundridge Strong Volunteer Fire Department, and was a volunteer with the Sundridge Triathlon. Prior to running for council I was also the Community Emergency Management Coordinator for the Township of Strong and the Alternate CEMC for the Village of Sundridge.
As a tax payer and member of the community I want to see my community grow and prosper. I am willing to listen to the concerns of Township of Strong residents and tax payers and bring those forward to the Council table. I am a team player and will work together with council and staff to make improvements to the services in our community.
I hear many residents complain about the state of our roads in the Township of Strong.
According to the 2021 Capital Asset Management Plan the Township of Strong has 142.7 km of roads. Within that plan there is a 10 year financing strategy but there is no defined schedule of the capital work to be completed over the next 10 years.
To be transparent and accountable to the public I would like to see a schedule developed outlining the planned capital road projects for the next 10 years, along with an annual maintenance schedule available on the website.
I believe that to be effective, Council members need to collaborate and work together for the betterment of the community and set aside any personal agenda's and conflicts.
In recent years there has been a lot of staff turnover which has affected the consistency and service to residents. I believe in providing the support, training and resources to the Township staff to enable them to excel in their positions.
To plan for the future, Council needs to ensure that succession plans are developed for department heads in all municipal departments so that when a member leaves there is a seamless transition.
Three basic commitments I am making:
-I'll show up
· voters expect elected officials to attend meetings and events
-I'll listen
· I'll hear your thoughts and do everything I can to leave you satisfied that you were heard
-I'll put the community first
· every time I vote it will be based on what I believe is best for the Township of Strong