At this
time I would like to review the initiatives and projects that I have
been involved with during the past eight years. As you will see, a great
deal of groundwork is now in place which will greatly enhance the
quality of life of all residents in community and has set the stage for
the next four years if I am successful in getting re-elected on October
24, 2022.
I am not here to make any promises. After you have
served as a City Councillor for a few years you learn that it is
important to avoid raising false and misleading expectations among your
constituents. There are some things that are impossible to achieve, and
so it does no good to promise the moon and then fail to deliver. Our
expectations as a City Council are more realistic and we make sure to
include the right strategies which will make it possible for us to
achieve our objectives. A good Councillor does not make outrageous
promises.
So, instead of making promises, I want to highlight
what I have done over the past eight years to earn your confidence and
support. You have seen me establish that whether I am debating big
decisions at City Council, or helping you get fair and just treatment
regarding your own individual issues with city hall, I am a person who
doesn’t back down from a challenge and I will never settle for anything
that is not in the best interests of residents of Ward 5 and for the
City of Greater Sudbury as a whole. I think I have consistently
demonstrated my ability to stand up to special interest groups and
political activists who have their own agenda that is contrary to what
is good for this city and for Ward 5.
I have always said that I would be available any
time of the day and any day of the week for my constituents. When you
have a concern I am only an email or a phone call away. You can always
count on me to be a strong and effective advocate no matter what your
issue. My role is not to judge, but rather to help you understand your
rights and make sure that you receive the treatment you deserve.
AN EXCITING FUTURE AHEAD OF US
The City of Greater Sudbury is on the verge of some
major changes as we prepare for the next four years. I am excited about
our prospects, but change is not going to come easy. We are going to
have to focus our energy and resources in some areas that will set the
foundation for a future that will acknowledge the health and social
needs of an aging population while addressing the employment and housing
needs of our low income families. I am asking for your support so that I
can continue to implement some of the initiatives that we have started
during the past four years.
ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE WARDS
Ward 5 is one of the most diverse sections of the
entire City of Greater Sudbury. It has been an honour to be able to
represent constituents from the northwest portion of Sudbury as well as
from the Valley because it gives me the opportunity to examine the major
issues and concerns facing this city from all perspectives. I feel that
the past eight years have given me significant insight into the major
concerns and needs of all of the residents living in the Sudbury portion
of Ward 5 and I would like to continue to serve you during the next term
of Council, which we all know is going to be an extremely challenging
period for this city.
PAST EXPERIENCES HAVE BEEN INVALUABLE
During the past eight years on Council I found that
my previous career and political experiences have served me well in
advocating for literally hundreds of constituents who have contacted me
for personal assistance on a wide range of issues. Whether it is making
an application for rezoning, problems with drainage, helping people with
organizing a petition or taking part in a store opening, when anyone
contacts me for help, I make every effort to be there for them on the
same day. My primary role is to make sure that each constituent has
someone to call or speak with if they have any municipal issues. The
fact that I am available on a full time basis to serve my ward allows me
to get back to constituents in a timely manner and to meet them when it
is convenient to their schedules. This is an important part of the job
of Councillor.
SUDBURY PORTION OF WARD 5
The Sudbury portion of the Ward 5 extends from the
Terry Fox fields to Ryan Heights, up along Notre Dame to the corner of
Lasalle & Notre Dame and then east along Lasalle to Rideau and
everything on both sides of Lasalle. The Valley East portion of the Ward
includes everything south of Dominion Drive up to the Howard Armstrong
Recreation Centre which takes in Val Caron, Blezard Valley,
Guilletville, and McCrea Heights.
I have had significant influence in navigating a
major transition period in our city and I would like to spend the next
four years finishing what we started. My wife and I have lived our
entire lives in the City of Greater Sudbury and have lived in Valley
East since 1974. I can honestly say that I have never been as excited
about the potential for growth and development in our community as I am
now.
MY RECORD AS COUNCILLOR OF WARD 5
I have tried my best to be an effective voice for
the Sudbury portion of Ward 5 while debating the issues and policies at
Council meetings. My record speaks for itself. I have discovered that
each neighbourhood in this part of the ward is faced with different
challenges and a wide variety of unique needs. With each successive
year, my experience base becomes broader and I am able to navigate the
complex world of municipal services more efficiently and effectively.
I trust I have met your expectations as a
Councillor and would be honoured to continue in this role for the next
four years. I feel confident that I can do an even better job on your
behalf as a result of the experience I have gained during these past
eight years.
KINGSWAY ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT
The Kingsway Entertainment District and the
Downtown Arts and Culture District: I am proud of the role that I played
in putting in motion the transformational projects that will solidify
the future of the City of Greater Sudbury. As you know, I was one of the
strongest supporters of the Kingsway Entertainment District, but the
real reason for putting my support behind the development of the new
arena, the new Gateway Casino and the Genesis Hospitality hotel on the
Kingsway was so that we would be able to approve the downtown
developments that will include a new library, a new art gallery, a new
convention and performance centre, Place des Arts, a new hotel, the
Elgin Greenway, and a new Tom Davies Square Courtyard. I would like to
be re-elected to serve as Councillor of Ward 5 so that I can help move
all of those projects forward. Even though Place des Arts is open and
the Kingsway Entertainment District is close to receiving the final
budget and approval, there are still many challenges and decisions yet
to be made with the rest of the big projects and I know that I have the
ability to be influential in the successful completion of our plans.
TRANSIT ACTION PLAN
The Transit Action Plan: I spent a great deal of
time working with the Transit Department in the development of a new
Transit Action plan that has laid the groundwork for the future. The
Transit Action Plan continues to improve our routes and times. The
Affordable Transit Fare Structure will make it less expensive to use
public transit. I would also like to continue to work with the Transit
Safety Task Force to make sure that everyone who uses public transit or
who works for public transit is safe and comfortable in all
environments. I know that a lot of my Sudbury constituents rely upon
public transit so this is a priority for me moving forward into the
future.
KEEPING TAXES AS LOW AS POSSIBLE
Keeping tax increases as low as possible: We have
been doing everything we can to keep municipal tax increases to a
minimum. With so many services being provided to the different sectors
of the community, we have obligations to maintain the level of service,
but the cost of doing so is rising much faster than inflation. I want to
continue to be the Voice of Ward 5 residents because for the past eight
years I have gained knowledge and insight into the budget process that
will help me ensure that taxes are minimized in the coming term. It is
going to be very challenging to deal with our aging infrastructure as
well as the needs of our older adults and low income residents who are
in need of affordable housing, but I believe I can be influential in
helping guide Council in making wise investments that will stimulate
growth of our economy. The best way to keep taxes low is to make sure
that we are attracting new commercial and residential development. That
is my goal for the next four years.
COMPLETION OF MALEY DRIVE PROJECT
I played a significant role in the final decision
to go ahead with the Maley Drive Project. This new road has greatly
reduced the amount of traffic on Lasalle Blvd. and has virtually taken
all of the large industrial trucks off that road. This has benefited
residents of Ward 5 living along Lasalle, but it has also provided a
more direct route to the east end of the City and to Barrydowne Road for
residents of the Valley. The Maley Drive extension also moves the
Barrydowne Extension a bit closer to a possibility. That may be the next
major roadway worked on next.
ADDRESSING AGING WATER/WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Aging Infrastructure: We are governed by provincial
legislation when it comes to providing quality Water / Wastewater
services to our residents. We cannot use money from the general tax levy
to cover any of our expenses, and so the only revenue we can generate is
through water bills. Because of our aging infrastructure, we are going
to be forced to implement higher water rate increases than we would like
to, but it is going to be necessary to cover the costs of the service. I
have worked as Chair of the Operations Committee for the first four
years and continued to serve on this committee during the past four
years. I would like to continue in this role for the next four years in
order to make sure that we are making the right choices when it comes to
water / wastewater services and rates. The infrastructure in many parts
of Ward 5 is very old and we are starting to experience more and more
water main breaks. I want to make sure we can deal with these
emergencies.
DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW CAPITAL PRIORITY POLICY
I have enjoyed working with City Council and staff
in developing and implementing a new strategy for determining capital
priorities which will be a shift from the pay-as-you-go philosophy which
has been used in the past to a debt-financing approach to capital
projects where borrowing makes sense. This will allow us to be able to
take full advantage of leveraging outside funding opportunities when
they come up and will encourage us to put our decisions into action
effectively and efficiently. This policy is working well and needs to be
refined over the next four years as we focus on some of our major
infrastructure deficit needs. But at least we are in a place now where
we can take advantage of opportunities to secure debt financing when it
is beneficial and cost-effective.
ENCOURAGING UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS
We have adopted a new plan for encouraging and
approving unsolicited proposals from the private and not-for-profit
sectors. This will provide parties to approach the city, in confidence,
with proposals for collaborative partnerships on a wide variety of
projects and initiatives. If City Council feels that the proposal is
beneficial to the citizens of the city, then we can enter into
agreements and proceed as partners. This will demonstrate that we are
open for business in the coming years.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGY
We have a new Affordable Housing Strategy which has
included the city taking over the management and operations of the 1848
units that belong to the Greater Sudbury Housing Corporation. We will be
looking at how we can incorporate the Affordable Housing Strategy along
with the GSHC units to raise the standards for all 4500 social housing
units throughout the city. A lot of work has been done during the past 8
years, and we will be making housing a much higher priority in the
coming four years. We need to increase our inventory of affordable
housing units and renovate some of our aging stock.
POPULATION HEALTH STRATEGY
A Population Health Strategy will change the way we
look at our neighbourhoods. We will be looking to proactively address
the social determinants of health from an upstream approach designed to
give residents more opportunity to experience a positive quality of life
that was once elusive to many of our deprived neighbourhoods. Much has
been done in this regard during the past several year, and as we move
into the post-pandemic period, we will be addressing the social
determinants of health that have been barriers for so many people as
they strive for a better quality of life. We have some very effective
plans in place and will be prioritizing this in the coming years.
COMMUNITY HUB STRATEGY
We now have a Community Hub Strategy which
recognizes the need to provide services in a cluster, or hub,
environment in order to better utilize surplus schools and other public
buildings. These community hubs may lead to the growth of affordable
housing complexes in some of our most spacious property in the outlying
areas. I have been recognized on Council as being a champion for
community hubs and I am sure that our experiences during the pandemic
have made everyone realize that we need well positioned community hubs
throughout our entire city. I am hoping to make great strides in this
area during the next four years.
AGE FRIENDLY STRATEGY
We have approved a new Age Friendly Strategy which
will inform all decisions that are made by City Council moving forward.
We will examine how all of our decisions are recognizing the needs of
older adults by looking at everything through an Age Friendly lens. The
Age Friendly Strategy Committee works under the Seniors’ Advisory Panel.
I have been a member of the Age Friendly Strategy Committee and can
assure everyone that we will continue to review and evaluate ways that
we can make the city much more age friendly in the coming years.
GETTING RID OF RED TAPE IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT
We have been continuously looking for ways to
streamline our development approvals process. Developers can now take
part in a new SPART (Sudbury Planning Application Review Team) meeting
procedure whereby they meet with all of the city departments in advance
of submitting an application in order to make the planning and approval
process more of a collaborative exercise. This is a remarkable change in
approach that has been well received by developers and staff alike.
SHIFTING FROM RISK AVOIDANCE TO RISK MANAGEMENT
Perhaps the most important change that I have been
proud to be part of is that we are seeing the management and staff at
Tom Davies Square as well as City Council, shifting from a culture that
was best described as “risk avoidance” to one that is moving towards a
“risk management style”. Instead of examining proposals and projects to
see “why they won’t work”, we are now looking at proposals and projects
to find out “what we can do to make it work”. This is the one change
that underlies all other changes during the past four years. We are
looking for ways of making good ideas work and we are operating at the
“speed of business”. This will allow us to take advantage of some
tremendous opportunities in the coming years.
PLAYGROUND REVITALIZATION
Playground Revitalization: I am proud of my
involvement in helping create the playground revitalization strategy. We
were able to revitalize the Ryan Heights, Pinecrest, MacMillan and
Hidden Valley playgrounds and we are continuing to add smaller
improvements to some of the others. Playgrounds and their parks are
becoming so important as we ensure that there is suitable opportunity
for children and their families to enjoy wholesome recreation within
walking distance of their homes. Older adults are also using the parks
with their grandchildren and even just to enjoy a bit of fresh air and
socialization. I am going to work even more closely with the
neighbourhood associations to help them upgrade and improve their parks
and playgrounds in addition to the revitalization program. This is going
to be a high priority for me in the next term.
LED LIGHTING PROJECT
Our LED lighting project has allowed us to replace
all of our street lights, greatly benefiting residents of Ward 5. The
enhanced lighting makes the area much safer for everyone.
COMMITTEE AND BOARD INVOLVEMENT
I have been involved in a number of committees and
boards during my eight years.
Planning Committee; Chair (2 years); Vice-Chair (2
years)
Population Health Safety & Well-Being Panel;
Co-Chair (4 years)
Seniors’ Advisory Panel; Co-Chair (8 years)
Greater Sudbury Housing Corporation; Vice-Chair (4
years)
Committee of Management for Pioneer Manor; Chair (4
years)
Public Health Sudbury & Districts; Board member (8
years)
Operations Committee; Chair (4 years); Member (8
years)
Audit Committee; Member (8 years)
Community Development Committee; Member (8 years)
Emergency Services Committee; Member (2 years)
Hearing Committee; Member (4 years)
Transit Safety Task Force; Member (8 years)
I would now like to highlight some of them:
CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE
I have been Chair of the Planning Committee for the
final two years of this term, and I am looking forward to continuing in
this role for the next four years. This is a committee that can have a
significant impact on new development across the city and it has been so
satisfying working with the private sector to help them achieve their
goals, whether for new subdivision development or new commercial
interests. We are working on some exciting changes that will help us
expand some of our industrial park land in order to allow new
development in more appropriate locations in the city. In addition, we
are making some changes to the Zoning By-Law and the Official Plan that
will make it easier for developers to get the necessary approvals for
new development that is much needed for the future.
CO-CHAIR OF THE POPULATION HEALTH COMMUNITY SAFETY
& WELL-BEING PANEL
The PHCSWB Panel is a group of very influential
leaders from many sectors of the City of Greater Sudbury. Our goal is to
develop a collaborative approach to removing the barriers to ensuring
the safety and well-being of all residents of our city. This group began
meeting in 2022 and will address some of the major issues that our
residents are dealing with in areas such as mental health and addictions
and housing. We have just begun examining a comprehensive COVID recovery
plan that addresses mental health and resilience as one of our top,
underlying priorities. We meet monthly in order to maintain the momentum
that is needed to move forward with our priorities and collaborate with
other organizations, including the GSPS, PHSD, and HSN.
CHAIR - OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
As Chair of the Operations Committee during my
first four years, and as a committee member for the past four years, we
established a number of new policies and protocols to deal with our
aging infrastructure. I would like to continue in this role for the next
four years to help implement a number of changes we are putting in place
to improve winter maintenance of our roads and sidewalks, a strategic
approach to road maintenance and repair of our main arterial road
network, some safety enhancements we are making to our intersections and
high risk roads, and programs that will make our streets more pedestrian
and biker friendly. We are embarking on safety initiatives such as photo
radar and red light camera installations at intersections that
demonstrate the greatest risk of accidents.
CHAIR - COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT OF PIONEER MANOR
As Chair of the Committee of Management of Pioneer
Manor for the first four years we did a great deal to move a number of
projects and initiatives forward. For the past four years we have
included Pioneer Manor under the Community Development Committee, and I
am also a member of that committee so I am able to continue to be
involved with Pioneer Manor. I would like the opportunity to work on the
completion of our bed redevelopment program so that we can repurpose the
six wings that include 94 rooms that will be available to meet the needs
of the community. We are considering a number of possibilities including
using some of the rooms for alternative level of care patients from the
hospital; using the rooms as temporary residential settings for clients
who are homeless or in need of transitional shelter; using one or two
wings as a student residence for students who are training to become a
health care worker of some sort and who would be able to earn their
practicum credits at Pioneer Manor. We have come so far in the past
several years and I would like the chance to help bring some of the
projects forward. We are also at the point where the Province is placing
a lot of emphasis on enhancing the quality of life of our long term care
residents, and it is going to be an exciting time during the next
several years. I am prepared to use the experience I have gained during
the past eight years to continue to advance the improvements in our long
term care homes.
CO-CHAIR - SENIORS ADVISORY PANEL
As Co-Chair of the Seniors Advisory Panel for the
past eight years we have done so much to bring awareness to the
community of the needs of our older adults. I would like to be able to
continue to help implement the many Age Friendly Strategy initiatives
that we have put in place. Our older adults need home care and they need
alternative housing options. I would like to make sure that their needs
are met during the next term of Council. I was extremely proud to be the
facilitator and organizer of the Seniors’ Summit 2019 which produced the
framework for a Seniors’ Strategy that I hope to work on during the next
four years. We are going to be using our influence to recommend the
development of more housing options for seniors, including shared
housing initiatives. We are also going to be promoting the expansion of
home care to address the health and wellness, as well as the general day
to day maintenance requirements that older adults need in order to age
in place.
VICE-CHAIR - GSHC
As Vice-Chair of the Greater Sudbury Housing
Corporation for my first four years I helped improve the quality of life
for many of our rent-geared-to-income residents. For the past four years
the responsibility for the GSHC has been taken over by City Council,
which means that the entire Council is the Board of Directors and will
be responsible for overseeing future development and operation of the
1848 units owned by the GSHC. I want to continue to work with Social
Housing to make sure that we implement affordable housing strategies
across the city in order to provide low income residents with a better
quality of life. We also need to address the social determinants of
health that will improve their health and wellness. We have made a lot
of progress on a revitalization plan for our housing portfolio. I want
to help implement the changes. In addition, we need to address the
safety concerns that have surfaced in recent years. Too many of our
residents are being inconvenienced by tenants who are not abiding by the
general rules and are causing distress among other tenants. We need to
deal with this in the coming years and I know that my previous
experience will be helpful in focusing on the policies that must be
implemented.
OTHER MAJOR INITIATIVES IMPACTING RESIDENTS OF
WARD 5
There are a number of major initiatives that I have
been directly involved in over the past eight years that have helped to
improve the general quality of life for residents in this part of the
city.
SITE SPECIFIC INITIATIVES IN SUDBURY PORTION
OF WAR 5
There have also been a number of site specific
initiatives that I have been actively involved in during the past eight
years. Some of these activities have been one time endeavours, while
others have resulted in long term, ongoing benefits to the residents:
LASALLE BOULEVARD CORRIDOR PLAN AND STRATEGY
I have been actively supporting staff in developing
the Lasalle Boulevard Corridor Plan and Strategy which will end up
creating a new land use framework for Lasalle Blvd. This will result in
integrating high-quality intensification that will support public
transit and encourage improvements in the area of active transportation.
The improvements will benefit the residents of Ward 5 as Lasalle becomes
more conducive to active transportation and generally looks and feels
much better.
NOTRE DAME AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS
Notre Dame Avenue has seen some tremendous
improvements to the road conditions and now with the new bike lanes and
sidewalk replacements, residents will more easily be able to walk or
bike downtown or along Lasalle. This is part of the Lasalle – Regent
Street route. We have also worked hard to put the road in better
condition in the last several years.
JUNCTION CREEK FLOOD MITIGATION CONTROL
IMPROVEMENTS
I have been a strong supporter of the $9 million
Junction Creek flood mitigation control and improvements project which
will extend the life of the Maley dam and support important repairs to
the Junction Creek culvert, the reconstruction and improvement of a
segment of Junction Creek and a new storm water management facility.
This project will protect the residents of Nickeldale subdivision as
well as the businesses along Notre Dame Avenue from future flooding
disasters.
TERRY FOX FIELD ARTIFICIAL TURF
I was directly involved with another member of the
community in securing the artificial turf from Rogers Field in Toronto
that was used in the establishment of the artificial turfed infield at
Field #1 at Terry Fox Field. This has allowed minor baseball
associations to extend their playing seasons and has been home to the
Laurentian Voyageurs Baseball Club.
RYAN HEIGHTS PLAYGROUND REVITALIZATION
I was instrumental in revitalizing the Ryan Heights
Playground and in clearing out the underbrush that has greatly enhanced
the Ryan Heights Park. During the pandemic this underbrush has grown
back, but I am going to continue to advocate for this to be cleared
again and be maintained every summer.
FLOUR MILL COMMUNITY FARM
The Flour Mill Community Farm, which has operated
at the Ryan Heights Park for the past six years, was something that I
worked with the Social Planning Council of Sudbury to establish over six
years ago. We are working on some ambitious plans for the next several
years.
PRISM CO-OP
I have been working for several years with the
Prism Co-op residents to help them with special events designed to build
the community spirit of the Cambrian Heights Area. They have always had
my support.
CAMBRIAN HEIGHTS ENHANCEMENTS
I have met with several other representatives from
various social housing organizations to discuss their needs and
concerns. We need to continue to work together and collaboratively in
order to promote the quality of life improvements to the Cambrian
Heights Area over the next several years. This includes road and
sidewalk improvements since Cambrian Drive and Bruce Avenue are two of
the worse local streets in the entire City.
NICKELDALE SUBDIVISION
I have worked with residents of the Nickeldale
Subdivision on numerous individual concerns with respect to their
residential drainage and road maintenance issues. We have also been
working to ensure that city staff takes a proactive approach to
maintenance of ditches, especially along the southern houses which
border on the Ponderosa flood plain.
MCLEAN PARK PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS
I have been an advocate for funding improvements to
the McLean Park Playground and park. We will work with the neighbourhood
association to install a number of new equipment pieces specifically for
older adults in order to make this a true community hub for the
residents. The pandemic has put a lot of these improvements on hold, but
the next four years will be a time to move many of the initiatives
forward.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ALONG NOTRE DAME
I have worked with several businesses along Notre
Dame Ave., helping them with expansion and development plans in order to
ensure that they have been able to comply with all policies and
conditions established by the city.
ST VINCENT DE PAUL – LAVOIE STREET
I have worked with the St. Vincent de Paul
Association on Lavoie Street on a couple of their initiatives and
community events. They have my full support for what they are doing for
the less fortunate in our community and we have had to deal with a
couple of issues over the years.
RETAINING WALL ISSUES
I have assisted residents on Drummond Ave. and
Rideau Street with retaining wall issues over the years. Staff are aware
of the problems that are now presenting themselves with retaining walls
that were built without permits decades ago and we will have to deal
with these challenges in the coming years. I expect that more of these
issues will arise during the next several years as some of the aging
retaining walls continue to deteriorate.
LASALLE CEMETERY REVITALIZATION
I am working with staff to do what we can to
revitalize the Lasalle Cemetery and ensure that the conditions reflect
the dignity that our ancestors deserve. The budget is low, but I am
going to continue to work with the staff to try to improve conditions.
This is a high priority over the next term of Council. We need to
upgrade the image for the home of approximately 30,000 former residents
of our city.
PIONEER MANOR BED REDEVELOPMENT
The completion of the redevelopment of 149 beds at
Pioneer Manor remains a very high priority. We expect this to be
completed by the end of 2024 or early in 2025 and once the rooms are
vacated, I am going to do what I can to have those vacant spaces filled
with services that will be available to the entire community.
SPECIAL WARD 5 NEWSLETTERS MAILED TO RESIDENTS
I try to maintain communication with the residents
of Ward 5 with newsletters that are sent out by mail. Because of the
pandemic, I was able to direct funds to produce 4 newsletters in 2021
and two in 2022. For many residents of the Sudbury portion of Ward 5 who
may not be on the internet much, this is one of the only ways they get
to find out about what is going on in the municipality.
OGRADY STREET DRAINAGE ISSUES
I have worked with several residents on O’Grady
Street with respect to the water and snow run off during the spring
melt. Staff have tried to address the drainage issues to the
satisfaction of the concerned residents and we will be monitoring the
situation every spring. We may need to so some major restorative work in
the near future.
PARKING ISSUES IN NICKELDALE SUBDIVISION
There have been some issues with parking on the
street along Gordon Avenue and Somers/Main Streets in the Nickeldale
subdivision. We have been working with by-law to resolve those matters.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT ON LORRAINE STREET
I will continue to oppose the proposed transitional
housing project on Lorraine Street. It is definitely not the right
location for something like this. Once the 40 unit apartment is
completed, I will be asking the new City Council to designate the
building for older adults.
RYAN HEIGHTS NEIGHBOURHOOD ASSOCIATION
I am going to continue to work with the Ryan
Heights Neighbourhood Association to initiate activities that will
enhance the quality of life of local residents. There are funding
sources that we can tap into and there is also the possibility of new
grants and fundraising in the community. We want this to be a true
community hub for the area.
INCREASED SECURITY AT 720 BRUCE AND RYAN HEIGHTS
During the next several years I am going to be more
aggressive in demanding increases security and police protection in the
area around Ryan Heights and 720 Bruce Avenue. There have been far too
many people who have been causing problems for residents in this area.
We need to make this a safer place to live for everyone.
AND THERE IS SO MUCH MORE...
I have spent a lot of time during the past eight
years putting the groundwork in place that can see a number of other
enhancements in our community.
There is so much more that I would like to share
with you about what I plan to accomplish over the next four years. I
hope that I have shown you and all of my constituents that whether I am
debating big decisions at City Council, or helping you get fair and just
treatment regarding your own individual issues with city hall, I am a
person who doesn’t back down from a challenge and I will never settle
for anything that is not in the best interests for residents of Ward 5
and for the City of Greater Sudbury. I think I have demonstrated my
ability to stand up to special interest groups and political activists
who have their own agenda that is contrary to what is good for this city
and for Ward 5.
I have done this for the past eight years and with
your support I will continue to fight on your behalf for the next four
years. I have always said that I would be available any time of the day
and any day of the week for my constituents. When you have a concern I
am only an email or a phone call away. You can always count on me to be
a strong and effective advocate. My role is not to judge, but rather to
help you understand your rights and make sure that you receive the
treatment you deserve.
I am truly looking forward to serving you for the
next four years as Councillor of Ward 5. Thank you for all the support
you have given me during the past eight years.