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My responses to the Connection's questions
16 October 2010
The following is the email I replied to The Collingwood Connection in response to its "Questions for candidates for Collingwood council" sent to all candidates for inclusion in its election coverage. Some of the answers were published in the paper, over two issues but here is what I wrote to them all in one:
1) If elected, would you vote to re-locate the patios back to the building. Why?
Yes. It is the logical place for them and is the location almost every other community uses. They are safer and more convenient beside the buildings. At the curbside they incur too much work, expense and liability (for both owners and the town). Plus the public wants them restored to the building side. With the wider sidewalks we have few issues regarding accessibility.
2) Collingwood's recreational infrastructure has been a topic of conversation with the need for more ice time, a re-vamped contact centre and a multi-use facility. What is the most pressing need, in your opinion, when it comes to recreation?
Right now we need an upgraded and enhanced therapeutic pool because our graying population (according to recent demographics) needs that service. Then we need a competition-capable swimming pool (perhaps in partnership with the Y). A roof over the outdoor rink will extend ice time and usability, too.
3) The town's debt is at $44 million, with the possibility to borrow another $55 million. Are you comfortable with the town's debt? If so, why? If not, what do you plan to do about it if elected?
We've spent more than is necessary, but keep in mind roughly half of that debt is recoverable through utility charges and development charges. It doesn't all come from residential taxes. In future I think we need to more carefully weigh the value of any large projects against the costs of being in debt and the potential to increases taxes by doing so. Some of those projects – like replacing our aged infrastructure – are necessary. It may be more prudent to defer less necessary projects or find private-sector partnerships to mitigate some of the costs before we proceed.
4) Some feel council needs to work better as a team? Do you agree and why is this important?
Municipal councils are, for the most part, elected as individuals who work independently. That is the strength of municipal politics: we are not tied to a particular platform or party policy. If we all did what the person said, then we would not be effective or even honest to our constituents.
Council members need to work to the best of their individual conscience towards the greater good of the community. One can only behave as a team when there are shared goals – and that does happen, but it requires good leadership to bring it to the fore.
5) How would you help council work better as a team and what makes you a good team player?
People who rubber stamp decisions in favour of "team" spirit are doing the community a great disservice. We saw that in the Admiral Collingwood debacle when "the team" rubber-stamped a bad decision. A good councillor does his or her homework, studies, reads the agenda and supporting documents, researches, asks questions, discusses issues with constituents and explores alternatives. A good councillor is open to new ideas and is willing to change his/her mind when new information arises. Team players don't do this when they sacrifice integrity or conscience for the sake of the team.
We can only operate as a team when we have common goals – and that requires a good leader to help council establish its collective strategic priorities early in the term.
6) What is your philosophy on development?
We need smart growth: sustainable, walkable and people-centric (not vehicle-centric). We need to grow, but we must do so wisely: we should curtail sprawl, allow only what is socially and economically sustainable to be built, and encourage intensification and mixed-used developments. Growth and development are constrained somewhat by both county and provincial mandates, and we need to work within their rules.
Our new urban design standards are a stepping stone towards good, people-centric planning.
7) Does Collingwood have too much commercial development or not enough?
We have all we need at this population and visitor level, and should limit growth outside the downtown until both full and part time populations grow substantially. Collingwood has 40-45 sq. ft. of retail space per person. That's what large urban centres like Toronto and Edmonton have. Plus, most of our neighbours are developing their own commercial space, so their residents are not coming here to shop as much as in the past. The most recent economic profile identified a surplus in several retail areas.
Most of the new commercial growth is projected for the periphery of town, which will have a negative impact on downtown viability. We should encourage intensification and downtown growth before we permit more malls on our edges.
8) Do you believe in zero per cent tax increases?
It's an admirable goal, but not always possible. I would prefer to see no increases, but I understand that sometimes minimal increases are necessary to maintain services, infrastructure and support. I will always argue against spending I consider unnecessary.
Also, half of our taxes are set by the boards of education and the county. Even if the town has a zero-percent increase, the other agencies can still increase our taxes.
9) What is your plan to attract more business to Collingwood?
We need a more active and outgoing economic development strategy. We cannot simply sit still and wait for business and industry to take notice. We should be actively identifying, then canvassing, potential industries for relocation. We need to take lessons from the corporate world about marketing ourselves more aggressively. And we need to show ourselves as supportive of and welcoming to business, not a community that is closed and hostile to industry and commerce.
Plus we need to petition the province to improve the transportation network that leads into Collingwood and look for more opportunities to bring in post-secondary education.
1) If elected, would you vote to re-locate the patios back to the building. Why?
Yes. It is the logical place for them and is the location almost every other community uses. They are safer and more convenient beside the buildings. At the curbside they incur too much work, expense and liability (for both owners and the town). Plus the public wants them restored to the building side. With the wider sidewalks we have few issues regarding accessibility.
2) Collingwood's recreational infrastructure has been a topic of conversation with the need for more ice time, a re-vamped contact centre and a multi-use facility. What is the most pressing need, in your opinion, when it comes to recreation?
Right now we need an upgraded and enhanced therapeutic pool because our graying population (according to recent demographics) needs that service. Then we need a competition-capable swimming pool (perhaps in partnership with the Y). A roof over the outdoor rink will extend ice time and usability, too.
3) The town's debt is at $44 million, with the possibility to borrow another $55 million. Are you comfortable with the town's debt? If so, why? If not, what do you plan to do about it if elected?
We've spent more than is necessary, but keep in mind roughly half of that debt is recoverable through utility charges and development charges. It doesn't all come from residential taxes. In future I think we need to more carefully weigh the value of any large projects against the costs of being in debt and the potential to increases taxes by doing so. Some of those projects – like replacing our aged infrastructure – are necessary. It may be more prudent to defer less necessary projects or find private-sector partnerships to mitigate some of the costs before we proceed.
4) Some feel council needs to work better as a team? Do you agree and why is this important?
Municipal councils are, for the most part, elected as individuals who work independently. That is the strength of municipal politics: we are not tied to a particular platform or party policy. If we all did what the person said, then we would not be effective or even honest to our constituents.
Council members need to work to the best of their individual conscience towards the greater good of the community. One can only behave as a team when there are shared goals – and that does happen, but it requires good leadership to bring it to the fore.
5) How would you help council work better as a team and what makes you a good team player?
People who rubber stamp decisions in favour of "team" spirit are doing the community a great disservice. We saw that in the Admiral Collingwood debacle when "the team" rubber-stamped a bad decision. A good councillor does his or her homework, studies, reads the agenda and supporting documents, researches, asks questions, discusses issues with constituents and explores alternatives. A good councillor is open to new ideas and is willing to change his/her mind when new information arises. Team players don't do this when they sacrifice integrity or conscience for the sake of the team.
We can only operate as a team when we have common goals – and that requires a good leader to help council establish its collective strategic priorities early in the term.
6) What is your philosophy on development?
We need smart growth: sustainable, walkable and people-centric (not vehicle-centric). We need to grow, but we must do so wisely: we should curtail sprawl, allow only what is socially and economically sustainable to be built, and encourage intensification and mixed-used developments. Growth and development are constrained somewhat by both county and provincial mandates, and we need to work within their rules.
Our new urban design standards are a stepping stone towards good, people-centric planning.
7) Does Collingwood have too much commercial development or not enough?
We have all we need at this population and visitor level, and should limit growth outside the downtown until both full and part time populations grow substantially. Collingwood has 40-45 sq. ft. of retail space per person. That's what large urban centres like Toronto and Edmonton have. Plus, most of our neighbours are developing their own commercial space, so their residents are not coming here to shop as much as in the past. The most recent economic profile identified a surplus in several retail areas.
Most of the new commercial growth is projected for the periphery of town, which will have a negative impact on downtown viability. We should encourage intensification and downtown growth before we permit more malls on our edges.
8) Do you believe in zero per cent tax increases?
It's an admirable goal, but not always possible. I would prefer to see no increases, but I understand that sometimes minimal increases are necessary to maintain services, infrastructure and support. I will always argue against spending I consider unnecessary.
Also, half of our taxes are set by the boards of education and the county. Even if the town has a zero-percent increase, the other agencies can still increase our taxes.
9) What is your plan to attract more business to Collingwood?
We need a more active and outgoing economic development strategy. We cannot simply sit still and wait for business and industry to take notice. We should be actively identifying, then canvassing, potential industries for relocation. We need to take lessons from the corporate world about marketing ourselves more aggressively. And we need to show ourselves as supportive of and welcoming to business, not a community that is closed and hostile to industry and commerce.
Plus we need to petition the province to improve the transportation network that leads into Collingwood and look for more opportunities to bring in post-secondary education.
