Reeve

Gerald Bray – a new broom

Gerald Bray has been a full-time resident of Addington Highlands for two years, but he first started visiting the township back in 1967, and has been visiting a family cottage in the township ever since.

He was a group leader at General Motors in Oshawa and when he retired after 30 years, he purchased a home on Highway 41 and the Mississippi River, where he has lived with his wife since 2012.

One of the skills he brought to Addington Highlands was that of fund raising, which he developed as a United Way volunteer at GM.

“We raised over $500,000, through the United Way, for Sick Children’s Hospital in just a few years,” he said.

Since moving to the township he has been involved in fund raising for the Flinton Library and the Land O'Lakes Community Services Food Bank as well.

“I've always been involved in the communities where I live,” he said. “I love this area and I’d love to see things done to improve it so I feel I have to dig in and do some of it myself.”

While living near Oshawa, he was active in local politics in the village of Solina, in the Township of Clarington, where he served on the community and park boards.

One of his concerns is with the state of the waste sites in Addington Highlands.

“I think the Mackavoy and Vennachar sites could be closed, and the Denbigh site re-opened as a state of the art site with a hazardous Waste Depot and other features, and we should keep up and upgrade the site at Kaladar,” he said.

He is also concerned about the disconnect between the township and its residents on Weslemkoon Lake, and thinks building a new road might be a solution.

“There is no road to the south shore of Ashby Lake, and if one were built and eventually extended to Weslemkoon - it would be a 5 or 10-year project for sure - that would be good for the people on the lake and the township as a whole,” he said.

He said that the township has been running on “an even keel” as far as he can tell, “but it is time for a new spark, some new enthusiasm,” and that's what he intends to bring to Council.

“It's more than just council, I want to be there for the people. A lot of my work is foot work, getting out with the seniors, working with the food bank, hearing people's concerns. If we need something like a toy mountain for kids to have Christmas presents, I would jump into that. I would get to know the people better and make a difference,” he said.

He also would like to promote more community involvement and economic development, perhaps by bringing more festivals to the township.

“I have talked to a number of families who think we need a boost in that way, and a way to bring up the summer season even more,” he said.

He is aware that he is new to local politics and is facing a long-term incumbent. He said he would have sought a deputy reeve position first if that were a stand-alone position in the township, but said that he is bringing a fresh way to look at budget problems and township services that residents deserve a chance to consider.

“There are possibilities to promote ourselves, and promote our township that have not been explored. I'd like to see us do that,” he said.

Councillor

Phillip Smith – work and volunteer experience

Phillip Smith has been sitting on Council for the last eight months. He was appointed to finish out the term after Bill Snyder died. He sat on council between 2006 and 2010, then lost out to Snyder and Heather Fox in 2010, finishing in third place.

In addition to his council experience, he was heavily involved in the Parham Fair for 15 years. He works at the Robinson Group in Sharbot Lake, where he is the manager of mortgage operations.

“For me, running for Council is a bit of giving back to the community and staying informed about what is going on. I am able to bring some of my work and volunteer experience to the table,” he said.

In terms of immediate goals, like other candidates he said that one of the first priorities for the new council, in addition to securing stability at the senior staffing level, is building a new fire hall in Parham.

He likes the idea of locating the hall at the corner of Long Lake and Wagarville roads on the site of the former Hinchinbrooke school, calling the location ideal, but said, “The question is cost. We will know soon if school the site is viable, and then we will decide where to build the new fire hall,” he said.

Either way, he expects the new hall to be built in the first year of the new term.

In terms of the two issues that are being talked about most in his ward, he thinks that “there are too many unknowns” for him to say he favours purchasing and renovating Hinchinbrooke school.

And his position regarding Piccadilly Hall is that it is not slated for closure and unless the matter comes back to council it is not an issue.

One thing that concerns him is the plan for mandatory septic re-inspections.

“I believe it would be a good thing, but the potential hardship it can cause needs to be considered. As I have said before, the devil is in the details. We need to make sure there are measures in place so that we are not putting anybody out of their home,” he said.

In general, he thinks that while there are things that need improvement, the township is in better shape than they were eight years ago, when he first joined council.

“At that time there were things that were obviously broken. The issues now are not as drastic.”

Councillor

Sharon Shepherd – where has all the gravel gone?

Sharon Shepherd is originally from Gananoque, but she has lived in the area for over 30 years. She came to the area because her husband is a local.

“I was not sure about living in such a rural area back then, I can admit that now; but I like it a lot now."

She has worked at a number of local businesses, including LD Powersports, the Verona Animal Hospital and Revell Motors.

“About 12 years ago, Bill Snyder said to me 'you should go on council' and with the way things have been going since amalgamation, I am interested in what is going on and also what is not going on,” she said.

While she said that she does see “progress in the way the township has gone for grants and improving some of the major roads like Wagarville Road, I think there has been a real neglect when it comes to the gravel roads. There is a lack of maintenance, a lack of grading, and a lack of gravel.”

She thinks part of the problem is the lack of continuity at public works.

“We need a Public Works Manager who stays long enough to get a feel for what's needed, where it is needed, and the personnel to delegate the work to,” she said.

As far as the Parham fire hall is concerned she thinks it unnecessary to consider purchasing land and moving it to a new location.

“We have fallen on hard times, with all the downloading, and I believe you don't spend what you don't have. Besides, when I talked to the firefighters they said it should go where it is,” she said. “What I wonder is why it wasn't built two years ago.”

She is sympathetic to the efforts the outgoing council has made to foster economic development in the township.

“I agree with the efforts to bring new business in. I think all we have to do is take care of the important things, run an efficient township, and if it is an attractive place these things are going to come,” she said.

Councillor

Jim Lowery – Road work experience

If all of Jim Lowery's extended family decides to support him, he will have a leg up come election day.

He comes from a family of 12, and many of his siblings, and their children, still live in the Parham area.

He came up through the local school system, attending in Parham and Sharbot Lake, and after high school worked for a lumber company for a number of years. Later he worked for both Hinchinbrooke and Central Frontenac Township as a grader operator in the roads department. He retired in 2005.

A long-time Legion member, Lowery has also been baseball coach.

He said that he is running for Council after his wife and son encouraged him to make use of some of his time, and his understanding of how road work should be done.

“I'd say there is a lack of brushing and ditching on a lot of the roads, and that causes more water to stay on the road and harms the grading,” he said. “There is also an advantage to making sure the roads are patrolled on a regular basis so we can do repairs before we get calls from ratepayers.”

Lowery supports the Piccadilly Hall, saying it is the least the township can do for residents in the Godfrey and Piccadilly areas.

“There isn't much in that part of the township,” he said.

He supports the idea of the township purchasing the Hinchinbrooke school building, saying “I'd like us to take that building on and maintain it, even as part of the fair board, or some kind of recreation centre. It's not that old a building that it should be torn down.”

As far as septic inspections are concerned he does not think that residents should be billed for the inspections, but sees the value in protecting lakes.

“I'm not sure about it off the water, I'm just not sure,” he said.

Councillor

Heather Fox – experience from both sides.

Heather Fox has now seen the municipal world from the point of view of a clerk-administrator and a member of Council. After spending her career in the municipal work force, eventually working as clerk-administrator for the first nine years of Central Frontenac's history, she retired for four years and then ran successfully for council in 2010.

“I enjoy being on council,” she said when asked why she was seeking a second term on council, “it's a little different from life on the other side of the table, however. I would like to see some of the things we have started carried through. Those include the fire hall, the Piccadilly hall issue, and the school in Parham.

While there was a report calling for the closing of the hall, it was never acted upon and Fox said, “I believe the Pic hall can be saved, but it is true that it needs to be used more."

She said that a new fire hall should be built and location will be an issue.

“I would like to be part of the decision-making process when looking not only at the location but the size of the hall as well,” she said.

As far as Hinchinbrooke school is concerned, "The jury is out on that,” she said.

She said that if the school was no longer viable for students and has extensive accessibility issues, “buying it for the gym in order for kids to play volleyball might not be wise.” she said.

She added that there are three other buildings in Parham that might become less viable if a new facility is opened.

“We have the United Church hall, the Methodist Church hall and the IOOF Hall; we have to be concerned about them as well,” she said.

She has a sceptical view of the resurgent Frontenac County, having been involved when the decision to downgrade the county was taken in 1997

“I'm not sure that we need all those layers that the county is bringing. I'm not sure that the county has a real role except to run the Fairmount Home and the ambulance service. The feedback from the county is not always great either,” she said.

She also thinks it might be time to do away with the vestiges of the original townships, which can be divisive.

“We are not Hinchinbrooke, Olden, Oso, and Kennebec any more. The sooner we realise that, the sooner we will be able to move on,” she said.

Councillor

Brent Cameron – Constituents are the bosses

Brent Cameron lives on a farm that borders Cole Lake where his family has lived for generations. He works in the Registrar’s office at Queen's University. Although this is his first run for Council he has had some political experience. He holds an Honours degree in Political Studies from Queen's and a Municipal Administration Certificate from St. Lawrence College.

He said that he decided to run for Council in Hinchinbrooke partly because he is “a little concerned about the direction Council has been going in, both in terms of the decision to close the Piccadilly Hall and the delay in building a new fire hall in Parham. The fact that we no longer have someone like Bill Snyder fighting for us influenced me as well.”

He also said that he is doubtful that the proposal for a new multi-use centre in the former Hinchinbrooke school is a viable proposition.

“If we can't justify $20,000 in annual maintenance costs for the Pic Hall - and I dispute those numbers by the way - I don’t see how we can keep the school going since I've been told the annual maintenance costs for that building have run up to $130,000. In a perfect world I would be all for it, but even though there are user groups behind it, we need financial backing. It could all fall on the ratepayers.”

In terms of roads he thinks the township might consider an steady program of using tar and chip paving, which is what Portland township did before amalgamation.

“The up front costs are more than covered off by savings in maintenance later on, and in a township that has seen a 50% increase in taxes since 2006, we need to do something to cut costs and improve service,” he said.

His major theme is that the township needs to be more responsive to the public.

“Councilors work for the people and not the other way around,” he said. “Council should be justifying their actions to the ratepayers all the time, not just when an election is coming.”

Councillor

Logan Murray – fighting against waste

Logan Murray has served on Council in both Kennebec and Central Frontenac townships, and has run for mayor and council on other occasions, once losing out by only two votes for a council position.

He ran for mayor against Janet Gutowski in 2010.

Murray moved to Elm Tree in 1972 from Kingston. He worked as a carpenter and later as a cabinet maker.

He said that his decision to run for Council this time around is based on his dissatisfaction with the way the township is operated.

“It seems to me that we ought to have better government for the money we spend. I hate to see money and opportunities wasted over and over again,” he said.

He argues that before amalgamation councils had a hand in setting the direction for the township, but that has changed.

“Council used to know what was going on, but now they've become a rubber stamp. We've morphed into not doing anything at all,” he said.

He thinks that council should reconsider hiring a public works manager “who spends their time telling us how much paperwork they are burdened with. I'd like to see us have a roads superintendent, who will deal with our greatest need, which is decent roads.”

Roads, for him, are not only important to existing residents; they are the key to economic development.

“It is of no value holding breakfasts and talking about business opportunities. Economic Development in this township is putting people in houses, and without good roads people do not buy houses. It's a simple as that. Our neighbours know it, but we haven't figured it out yet,” he said.

He would also like to see the township work towards developing more community involvement, not only in the political life but the social life of the township as well.

“When I ran for mayor I proposed we have regular town hall days to discuss council and other issues, and I would like to see those come about if I get back on Council this time,” he said.

Councillor

Jeff Matson – A more active role for councilors

Jeff Matson has been on Council for eight years, and just like in the family construction business, Matson & Sons, he has followed in his father's footsteps on municipal council. His father was a councilor, deputy reeve and reeve of Kennebec Council before amalgamation.

In his view Council and the township are doing pretty well.

“Staff and Council have done a pretty good job. We've had our staffing issues but that's par for the course,” he said, but he adds, “Council should take more of a role in supervising staff, especially the public works, which is our biggest budget item. There is a lot of wasteful spending in that area.”

He is sensitive to the concern that council should not micro-manage, but said, “Staff needs to bring better reports to council, reports that tell us what they have been doing and what they are planning to do for the next month. Council can take a more active role and do a better management job.”

Faced with increased policing costs he thinks the township should think about re-directing its construction efforts away from large projects and towards some of the smaller roads.

“You can make some of the smaller roads look pretty good for $5,000 or $10,000,” he said.

As to one of the issues facing council this coming year, he does not think it wise to delay the Parham fire hall project to see if the former Hinchinbrooke school property is available.

“I know the firefighters aren't happy where they are. They want a new building and they can build where they are and move back a little bit from the road,” he said.

Although he is now a senior member of council, he does not see himself seeking a role on Frontenac County Council if re-elected.

“I've been mulling it over in my mind, but I think the family business will keep me busy,” he said.  

Councillor

Cindy Kelsey – from the Post Office to the Council Chamber

Cindy Kelsey has been a fixture in the Kennebec community all her life. She helped her mother at the post office when she was a child, and later began working for Canada Post herself. For the past 10 years she has been the Post Master at the Arden Post Office, which is the hub of the local community on a day-day basis.

Cindy has also lived in all parts of Kennebec. Born and raised in Arden, she later bought a home in Elm Tree after getting married. The Kelseys have since moved to Henderson where her husband was raised. They have lived in Henderson for the past five years.

She is running for Council as an extension of her involvement in the community, and she sees the major task on Council over the next few years as a balancing act between improving some of the aging roadways and keeping taxes from spiraling out of control.

“I believe that there are areas within the township that need to be improved. We need to find some way to find savings if we are going to be able to make necessary road improvements. When you look at roads such as the Henderson Road, for example. The north end has partially been completed, but the south end is still a mass of potholes. At the same time I know people who don't have enough money to cover their tax bills and living expenses, even though they are working families.”

If elected to Council Cindy wants people to be able to feel that they can approach her so she can address the issues that the people find most concerning.

“I think it is important to listen to the concerns people have and bring them to council. It is also important to see the issues that come forward and react to them. I know policing is going to be a substantial cost and that it will have to be managed by Council,” she said. “All in all, with hard work and a dedicated council we can make our township a better place to live.”

Councillor

Tom Dewey – “recycled country boy”

Tom Dewey is seeking a second term on Council. He lost a close race in 2006 and then won handily in 2010, receiving the most votes of any ward politician in Central Frontenac Township.

Dewey was raised in Croydon, in Lennox and Addington County, and lived for 40 years in Toronto and Oshawa during his working life. With his wife Shirley he purchased a property on Horseshoe Lake near Arden in the 1980s. They renovated the cabin on the property and moved in permanently in 2005.

“That's why I call myself a recycled country boy,” he said.

Since moving to Arden, he has been a member of the township's economic development committee for the past eight years; a former board member of the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation (FCFDC), and a member of the Heritage Festival Committee for eight years.

Tom also sits on the board of EOTA (Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance) and the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority. He is on the executive of the Arden Legion and has been a Legion member for 32 years.

Dewey thinks that the priority for the new council will be to fill the chief administrative officer and public works manager positions, although he is reassured by the fact there is a temporary fix in place for them.

He continues to be committed to working on economic development in the township, but recognizes that, “It is a really slow process. We have a really small budget and need to make use of Anne-Marie Young at the County and Anne Prichard of the CFDC. Another thing we can do is look at our zoning to create more commercial zoning to be ready for investors to come in.”

He also thinks the township should look at purchasing property that is suitable for housing projects, but said all of this is coming in the context of increasing budget pressure.

“Insurance went up $40,000 last year and the OPP costs are going up. We will have to work hard not to pass that on to ratepayers,” he said.

If elected, he may be interested in the second County Council position for the township.

Priority issues for Tom Dewey include finding a permanent location for the Parham Library and seeing a fire hall built in Parham as well.