Sep 29, 2014

About 50 voters, roughly split between Addington Highlands and North Frontenac, turned out to hear the views of various Candidates for the October 27 Election.  The Meeting was co-sponsored by the Skootamatta District Ratepayers Association (the SDRA) and the Mazinaw Property Owners’ Association (the MPOA) and was held Saturday, Sept. 27 at Barrie Hall in Cloyne.

Upon the front dais were 12 Candidates from AH Ward 1 and NF Wards 1 & 2, plus 2 Candidates from NF Ward 3 in the audience as follows: for AH Reeve, Henry Hogg and Gerry Bray; for NF Mayor, Ron Higgins and Claudio Valentini; for Councillor AH Ward 1, Tony Fritsch, Alice Madigan, and Kirby Thompson; for Councillor NF Ward 1. Lonnie Watkins, Wayne Good and Fred Perry; for Councillor NF Ward 2, Vernon Hermer and Gerry Martin; and for Councillor NF Ward 3, John Inglis and Fred Fowler (both of which did not present but participated in the Question period).

Each Candidate for Councillor was allocated 3 minutes to present their case for election, and those for Reeve or Mayor were allocated 4 minutes, and the time was tightly controlled by the MC. Prior to the Meeting, each Candidate had been sent an online Questionnaire asking several questions, with a suggested filing deadline of Oct 1.  Click on the link below to view the responses from candidates that we have received so far.

http://skootamatta.ca/municipal-elections/2014/responses/

In a Question period that followed, many topics were covered-staffing and other cost comparisons between the two townships; the cost and necessity of the new Municipal Bldg. in NF (a straw poll indicated no NF voter in the audience thought that the $1.9 million proposal was worth it or necessary); the unfairness, to the Townships and the shoreline property owners, of the new OPP cost tariff for area policing; the view of Voluntary/Mandatory septic system inspection- a serious concern of the shoreline property owners. NF has supported a voluntary program for a number of years but AH hasn’t. Both Townships thought that a solution would be for the Province to legislate a Mandatory septic inspection. When polled, most AH Candidates indicated some support for a Voluntary inspection program but the issue of who pays remains. Reeve Hogg was clear with his support, subject to details being refined.

The audience expressed their appreciation for the turn out by all Candidates and their commitment to service the voters in the Townships.

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