Betty Hunter

Oct 02, 2014

Councillor

Betty Hunter – Economic Development veteran

Betty Hunter moved to Ompah with her husband Don about 27 years ago after they purchased the Trout Lake Hotel in Ompah. They sold the business only a year later but they had already become enamoured with the area and they remained.

Betty has worked as cook and caterer over the years and Don as a carpenter, logger, and in construction.

Since Betty Hunter first ran for Council in Ward 2 in 2003, she has continually been involved in promoting local business in North Frontenac. After serving on Council between 2003 and 2006, she fell short in a bid to become mayor. During the four years between that election and her return as a councillor in Ward 3 (Palmerston Canonto) in 2010, she sat on the board of the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation and was involved in local arts projects. Since 2010 she has been the driving force behind the township's Economic Development Task Force, and has been the township's representative to social service agencies based in Northbrook and Sharbot Lake.

Working with Frontenac County Council, she obtained funding for the township's Dark Skies initiative, worked on a business profile for the township and helped develop a toolkit at the township office to help prospective businesses find funding and avoid pitfalls when they express interest in the township.

She said that just last week she heard from two businesses who were happy with the help they received from staff

“We have made a lot of progress in this last term. I think the township is in good shape; our finances are sound, but I also think there are places where we could improve,” she said.

“We have done a lot in terms of investment readiness. We have done a First Impressions tour, and a root cause analysis as well. I am looking forward to getting our Official Plan adopted and then we will be able to amend our zoning bylaw. That will help us key in on real opportunities for prospective business investment,” she said.

With the Ompah fire hall construction under way, she said she hopes for more stability among the fire service in the next term, and is committed to finding a solution to the recent difficulties faced by the Dark Skies viewing pad.

She was also encouraged by the first North Frontenac Studio Tour last weekend, and expects it to become an event that brings people to the township outside of the summer season.

Although she is optimistic about the township's future, Hunter is concerned about policing costs that the township will have to bear starting in 2015.

“Budgets have been hard enough until now; 2015 could be tougher yet,” she said.