Mayoral candidate Logan Murray is “ no ribbon cutter”

Aug 19, 2010

Central Frontenac mayoral candidate Logan Murray has been campaigning door to door since early May and recently has held three public forums to discuss the issues that most concern voters. “I'm doing this because I feel it is the most important part of the whole job. The biggest complaint I get from people is bad communication with the township. I want to talk to people so I know what their concerns are.”

The first forum took place in Henderson on August 13th, and Murray said that 25 people attended. Only a few people had been by the Olden Hall on the afternoon of Monday, August 16th, but he hoped to see more as the evening approached.

Murray says the three general issues that have been mentioned most at his meetings and at people’s doors are roads, dumps and communication.

As for roads he cited one of many voter's concerns. “Someone called the township on a Friday of a long weekend about a serious road issue- an accident waiting to happen and was told at 10am on a Friday that no one would be able to come out to deal with it. To me that is unacceptable.”

As far as dumps go Murray has been hearing a lot of complaints about the implementation of clear bags, but on that issue he differs from some of the people he has talked to.

“I support clear bags. We're filling up these dumps atrociously fast and we will never get another landfill site; there has not been a landfill site approved in Ontario in over 45 years.” He continued, “I have always been interested in waste management and have studied it. When you go to the dump and see first hand that of the first 20 bags you open every single one of them contains recyclables- that says something.'

Murray believes education is the way to go. “What I find is when you sit down and talk to people about the facts, most people eventually come to see the light.”

Which brings Murray to his third issue of primary concern - communication. “Regardless of what side of any of the issues that you happen to be on- what is most often needed is more education, more discussion and more dialogue. When I was on council I always tried to get public town hall days. I'd like to see at least two per year if not one every three months.

A lot of the people I have talked to have specific problems and complaints and most of those people feel that their specific issues are not being taken seriously.”

Murray summed up his intent. “If you want a ribbon cutter, I am not your guy but if you want somebody who is actually going to work at problems and solve them-that's why I'm running.”

Election updates

Francis Smith running again in CF – Francis Smith has been representing Oso ward for almost 10 years (she was appointed to serve out a term after a councilor resigned and has subsequently been elected three times), and she has now put her name in again. Smith is the third candidate in Oso ward, along with Rick Greenstreet and Wayne Millar, with two seats up for grabs. The other incumbent, Bob Harvey, has not yet indicated his intentions.

Hinchinbrooke ward also has a three way race shaping up (Phil Smith, Bill Snyder, and Heather Fox) but Olden (Justin Gray) and Kennebec (Tom Dewey) have only one candidate each thus far for two council seats.

In North Frontenac, there are no new candidates in the race, but one has shifted wards. Betty Hunter, who lives at the borderline between Ward 2 (Clarendon and Miller and Ward 3 (Canonto) was running in ward 2, where she has served a term as councilor, but has shifted to ward 3. At this point there are no contested races anywhere in the township. There are two candidates inward 3 Bob Olmstead and Berry Hinter, two in ward 2 (Paul Thiel and Elaine Gunsinger) and only one (fred Perry) in ward 1. Jim Beam is the only candidate for Mayor thus far.

Over in Addington Highlands, the first candidate for ward 1 (Denbigh) has come forward, Yvonne Rosein. There are three candidates for two seats in ward 2 (Bill Cox, Larry Pealow, and Helen Yanch) and one for Mayor (Henry Hogg).

In South Frontenac, where all of the positions are being contested, there is one new candidate to report this week. In Loughborough district, Randy Ferguson from Perth Road is running against Alan McPhail, Percy Snider and Fran Willis.

Then nomination deadline is now three weeks away. It is Friday, September 10, at 2 pm. It costs $100 to run for Council, and $200 to run for Mayor. If sufficient nominations are not received by that time, an additional nomination date, Wednesday, September 15 between 9 am and 2 pm may be established by a township clerk.

The election date is October 25th, but voting will begin before that as all local townships use either mail-in or internet balloting.