Editor's Note: It's New Year's Day - the perfect day to look back at the previous year and look ahead to the coming year. With that in mind, we've asked the mayor and all eight city councillors a series of five questions about past accomplishments and future goals. We will publish their answers throughout the day. What follows are the responses from Ward 1 city councillors Ted Emond and David Campbell.
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Ward 1 Councillor Ted Emond provided the following responses to our questions.
1. What do you think is the most significant accomplishment of this council from 2019?
A couple of thoughts: I believe it is significant that this council has continued aggressively the initiatives started during the last council, that our two new members have integrated well and are making a great contribution, and that we initiated and accepted the city’s new strategic plan and the organizational review, which will have huge impact on future city growth and citizen wellbeing.
2. What is your top priority for 2020?
Like most, I’m looking forward to the opening of the new recreation centre, which will be a wonderful new asset for our residents. My personal top priority is to see the continuation of the waterfront redevelopment program. We’ve made great strides, but selling to the right developer with the right vision for connecting the downtown with the waterfront is a hurdle to be crossed during 2020.
3. What is the biggest challenge facing this council in 2020?
Our biggest challenge will be managing how we finance capital projects going forward. We need to shift from the current internal borrowing strategy to an external borrowing strategy without raising the tax rate for capital projects.
Unfortunately, the city’s operating cost will rise along with inflation and provincial government downloading decisions, so some adjustment in the annual tax rate is to be expected.
However, we face huge infrastructure deficits created by past councils, increased provincial regulatory requirements, as well as significant capital demands to ensure our city remains attractive, safe and provides a healthy environment for current and future residents. Financing these capital projects will be our biggest challenge.
4. What is your New Year's Resolution as a City Councillor of Orillia?
What I hope is that I can contribute to improving our residents’ health and wellbeing, that regardless of whether we agree on an issue or not, my council colleagues remain civil and friendly, and that residents continue to ask questions, seek clarification and share opinions about the city’s challenges large and small.
5. What is your New Year's Resolution as a citizen?
I’m as much a citizen as I am a councillor, so my hope for 2020 is that in addition to my response (above), that we all live in harmony while enjoying this great city, in a wonderful part of our province and recognize how fortunate we are to be Canadian.
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Ward 1 Councillor David Campbell provided the following responses to our questions.
1. What do you think is the most significant accomplishment of this council from 2019?
Moving files forward (Metro plaza property, Front Street reconstruction etc.) while working in a respectful manner with one another. We don’t always agree with each other, but are always willing to listen and consider the other person's position. I think this is vital in the times we live in.
2. What is your top priority for 2020?
My top priority is to continue to move the city in a positive direction while keeping taxes in check.
3. What is the biggest challenge facing this council in 2020?
Without question, as it was in 2019, the biggest challenge in 2020 will be to keep Orillia affordable. What with the waste collection contract coming in much higher than anticipated, the increasing demand on city services and dealing with our aging infrastructure, financial pressure will be felt city-wide.
4. What is your New Year's Resolution as a City Councillor of Orillia?
To be a bit more vocal at the council table. I have learned a lot in my first year and plan to put that knowledge to good use moving forward.
5. What is your New Year's Resolution as a citizen?
To be much more environmentally friendly. Nancy and I have always felt that we did a good job with waste reduction, recycling etc. However, the more I learn, the less I find that to be true. In 2020, we have some plans to improve on that while continuing to educate ourselves on the topic.
