Qs FROM CONSTITUENTS

This a list of ALL the questions (last count there were over 70!) asked of me and their answers from the 2022 campaign period.

I have tried to group them by topic for ease of use:

Communication and Engagement

• How will you engage Cottagers?

• Are you in favour of returning to regular Town Hall meetings?

• How will you guide and direct municipal staff to ensure that there is meaningful and timely citizen engagement and transparency in Council’s decision -making processes?

• As our elected representative, how will you guide and direct municipal staff to ensure that there is meaningful and timely citizen engagement and transparency in Council’s decision -making processes?

• ROCKLYN: How are you going to make staffs work more transparent, including supervisors for all departments?

• ROCKLYN: If you were to win your candidacy, How are you going to engage in the all communities?

• CHAMBER: Including the public in decisions made by Council is important. However, public sessions about upcoming important issues were usually poorly attended by the public. What measure would you take to improve the public’s input into issues that affect them?

All Ages

• Do you support the An Age-Friendly Grey Highlands?

Development and Zoning

• What is your position on OP04.2022, the application for an Official Plan amendment to amend the definition of small scale on farm diversified uses (OFDU’s) by increasing the permitted size of such uses from 250 sq m to 750 sq m and reducing the minimum lot size from 20 hectares to 10 hectares? Would you have supported this decision and why? If elected would you also stand by Grey Highlands current opposition to this deal?

• ROCKLYN: We are losing farmland every day. Once farmland has been developed or changed it will never go back to farmland. When you are elected to council what are you willing to do to help preserve farmland in Grey Highlands?

• CHAMBER: C4 Zone allows commercial buildings on farms for On Farm Diversified Use. There is a proposal to increase the allowed size of commercial buildings in C4 Zones. Currently allowed industrial buildings are 250 sq. m. (2,690 sq. feet) on land of 20 hectares (50 acres) or more to 743 sq. m. (8,000 sq. feet) allowable on 10 hectares (25 acres). There are over 200 C4 Zoned sites in GH and the majority are industrial. How will you ensure that our rural areas will not be turned into an industrial zone?

• COLLINGWOOD TODAY: In the coming years, Grey Highlands can be expected to experience significant pressure for growth and development. The development wave is moving up the Highway 10 corridor, as evidenced by the growth in Dundalk. As a member of council what will your priorities be for managing and planning for this anticipated growth?

• BAYSHORE: What would you like to see for land development in Grey Highlands?

Cost of Living & Attainable Housing

• As our elected representative, what do you see as the top three (3) tools that Council has to encourage the development of affordable and attainable housing, and, what do you see as impediments, if any, to those tools?

• CHAMBER: Affordable housing is a concern for all Canadians. How would you increase affordable housing in our communities?

Climate and the Environment

• What will you do to change or enact policies and bylaws that will protect our precious natural environments over the next 5 - 10 years and generations into the future? Please address your response from both environmental and economic perspectives related to the Talisman properties and other Grey Highlands environmentally sensitive land.

• As climate change is a mitigating factor in the health of our lake and rivers, would you financially support (in conjunction with other partners) an ongoing remediation plan?

• I understand Grey Highlands did not establish a by-law for imported soil materials from outside Grey Highlands. I feel that our Municipality is being taken advantage of. Chatsworth has a bylaw, so instead they dump it in Grey Highlands. What is your position on the need for a Fill By Law?

• Would you support the restriction of all lawn enhancing fertilizers and pesticides for all properties on Lake Eugenia?

• Are you for or against expanding Natural Gas infrastructure in Grey Highlands?

• CHAMBER: The Municipality of Grey Highlands Council declared that we are in a climate crisis. If on the next Council, what is your strategy to help alleviate this crisis?

Economic Development

• ROCKLYN: What kind of business incentives would you suggest to create/grow new/current business in the municipality?

• CHAMBER: There are many empty storefronts in our downtown areas. How will you improve having vital downtowns in our communities while employing traffic safety and improving parking?

• CHAMBER: Grey Highlands is home to many small, medium and large businesses, with differing needs while contributing economic benefits to the community. How will you advocate for these businesses while balancing the needs?

• BAYSHORE: What are your ideas for economic development in your municipality?

Long Term Care

• The Province of Ontario has approved 62 long term beds for Grey Gables, the current county council has voted to defer approvals with no funding in place for the next ten years. Do you think this should be a priority as a County Councillor?

• Grey Gables is an important nursing home in our community and is part of the Grey County long-term care system. Grey Highlands residents have shown their strong desire to keep and improve Grey Gables. Will you defend the continuing upkeep and improvement of Grey Gables at the county level? How would you do this?

• CHAMBER: Grey Gables is an important nursing home in our community and is part of the Grey County long-term care system. Grey Highlands residents have shown their strong desire to keep and improve Grey Gables. Will you defend the continuing upkeep and improvement of Grey Gables at the county level? How would you do this?

• COLLINGWOOD TODAY: The expansion of the Grey County-owned and operated Grey Gables long-term care home in Markdale is currently in limbo. The Ministry of Long-Term Care has awarded the county new beds to allow for an expansion, but county council has put the project on hold. As a member of Grey Highlands council, how will you encourage Grey County to proceed with this project?

Curbside Waste/Recycle Pick Up and Municipal Water

• Why doesn't GH have hazardous waste drop off?

• The recent decision by staff and council related to waste management was approved despite vocal opposition. This new plan entails trucking our garbage 228 km away which does not align with the climate crisis declared by Grey Highlands.

• Did you support the move to a bin system for curbside pick up?

• How do you plan on dealing with commercial business waste and recycle pick up?

• CHAMBER: With the new waste removal contract for Grey Highlands, what is your position regarding the business community that has been receiving waste removal services from the Municipality but may not continue to?

Lakes and Septic Systems

• Would you support implementing a septic system inspection on Lake Eugenia?

Safe Communities

• If elected, what will you do ensure road safety? Please address: speed limits; lighting; cross walks; sidewalks; and, enforcement.

• COLLINGWOOD TODAY: Road Safety has been a topic of conversation in the community for some time. Please share with us what your priorities will be for addressing road safety concerns in the municipality.

• BAYSHORE: What would you like to see for community safety and well-being?

Budgets and Taxes and Cost of Living

• Do you support a line by line budget review and not automatically approve all expenditures from the previous budget as a starting point?

• Would you support council dictating a budget ceiling increase to Municipal Staff?

• ROCKLYN: Taxes and general fees have increased over the last four years with services decreasing in our municipality. How are you going to avoid/discourage any more increase during this term?

• COLLINGWOOD TODAY: Members of council will have the responsibility of setting the annual budget for the municipality and monitoring its progress throughout the year. There is no doubt all municipalities in Ontario face challenges in the coming years. The economy continues to emerge from the pandemic, inflation is increasing the costs of all goods and services and supply chain issues continue to cause problems. What will your fiscal priorities be for Grey Highlands over the next four years?

• BAYSHORE: Are there any steps municipalities can take to help ease cost of living concerns?

Private Roads

• Do you support Private Road Grants?

• As an elected official, would you make it a priority to maintain or improve the existing agreements?

• Would you support assuming and bringing all the Beaver Valley private roads up to municipal standards?

• CHAMBER: Where do you stand on the Private Roads Grant Policy in the Municipality of Grey Highlands?

Recreation Master Plan

• What do you think of the Recreations Master Plan’s recommendation to go to two indoor ice surfaces?

• ROCKLYN: Have you reviewed the RECREATION Master Plan? How are you going to fight to keep Rocklyn's ice surface and arena open. Are you aware of the community investment and the amount of rentals that this arena can book over a winter season?

Talisman Development

• What is your vision for the Talisman site?

• Do you support the goals of the Niagara Escarpment Plan “To provide for the maintenance of the Niagara Escarpment and land in its vicinity substantially as a continuous natural environment, and to ensure only such development occurs as is compatible with that natural environment”?

• Do you support development on the Talisman lower lands - the 75 acres encompassing the former golf course and the Beaver River?

• Do you support public access to the lower lands including the riverbank?

• Do you support development on the Talisman upper lands? This is currently agricultural land.

• Do you support public access to the top of the former ski hill, which offer unique views to the Beaver Do you support redevelopment at the site of existing buildings at the Talisman site?

• At this time, the Talisman lands are owned by different companies with the buildings and ski hill owned by one company and the lower and upper lands owned by another company. Do you support a municipally led planning process for the entire site that is based on up-to-date studies and citizen input?

• How will you ensure citizens are meaningfully involved in municipal decision making?

Transportation

• CHAMBER: The new Municipal Council for Grey Highlands will probably be dealing with a Transportation Master Plan (TMP). What would your goals be for this TMP?

Education

• ROCKLYN: How are are you going to support the Trustees? Are there plans to encourage more teachers into rural areas? Moving forward, how will you work with the communities to build and support our schools in Grey Highlands?

Other

• ROCKLYN: What are some new or old programs that you can encourage the municipal staff to invest for the whole municipality not just the main centers?

• What are you going to do for my community?

• How would you handle future COVID lockdowns?

• Would you continue to oppose the closure of the western end of Road 91 down to Duntroon?

• ROCKLYN: What are 3 main goals you wish to accomplish during your term?

• ROCKLYN: Are you a life long resident or new to the area? What is one thing you have done or taken part in to benefit the municipality?

• ROCKLYN: How are you going to hold staff accountable for their responsibilities to the municipality?

• ROCKLYN: How are you going to be our voice when at the council table?

• ROCKLYN: What do you see as the greatest strength of the municipality, and how can it be built upon? What do you see as the greatest weakness of the municipality, and how can it be improved?

• BAYSHORE: Why are you running?

• BAYSHORE: Do you think the municipality has a role to play in the recruitment and retention of physicians and other healthcare workers?

See my post, Running for Mayor: Smart Growth for more details.

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