Question Responses From
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Question 1 of 6Now
that we have reached near capacity for development on most lakes in Armour,
there will be pressure to develop surrounding back lots. What is your stance on back lot
development? |
Question 2 of 6High-speed
Internet access could attract more local business activity and bring local
schools and residents up to equal footing with larger centers in the
province. Do you agree or disagree? Should Council actively get involved? |
Question 3 of 6The
landfill site is nearing capacity. How
will this be managed in the next 4 years? |
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Reeve
Candidates: |
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Bob MacPhail |
A
clear definition of Back Lot is needed. A definition of distance (e.g. 800 –
1000 ft) is favoured. |
Agrees
with statement. Blue Skies is coming
from the North. If you’re not close to
main tower, you may not have the access until a secondary transmitter is
installed. That will only happen with
a commitment statement from enough customers. |
The
current site is operating under an emergency certification to keep going
until 2009. Public hearings are to
start soon. Studies must happen for
options. It’s a long process to find a
resolution. Mandatory recycling and a
possible per bag charge would bring us up to date and help prove to MOE that
we are willing to follow process and play ball. |
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Gary McFarlane |
The
definition of Back Lot needs to be strengthened in the official plan. Controls are needed for things such as wood
lot management, and nutrients that are polluting our lakes. Environmental safeguards are needed. |
High
Speed is a thing of the future, and coverage is a big issue. The municipality should get involved to
ensure uniform coverage. |
Was
chair of the TriR committee in 2003.
Monies were set aside for expansion of the existing site. This issue must be resolved .. must be
dealt with now. If you close the site,
you still have to properly deal with it. |
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Councillor
Candidates (four councilors to be elected): |
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Rod Blakelock |
Public
meetings are required on the issue. A
definition of Back Lot based on distance is favoured. Water quality must be taken into
consideration. The lakes are full to
capacity. It’s best not to disturb the
environment around the lakes. |
Admits
computer illiteracy but understands the need.
Council should try to get high speed in as quick as possible. |
Mandatory
recycling and tighter controls are needed.
Recycling is available and yet too many recyclables end up in the
garbage. Also, the site is currently
accepting all kinds of garbage from all different municipalities. |
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Jerry Brandt |
There
is no Back Lot development allowed now, and doesn’t see any to be allowed in
the near future. If the community as a
whole wants to allow Back Lot development, then council will review. |
Blue
Skies is coming to the area by Jan 1/07.
It’s been a long time coming, but the towers are getting built now. |
This
problem is not going to go away. It
has to be looked after. Armour
township has to work with Ryerson and Burk’s Falls. Expanding is the cheapest way to go. Still, it can’t stay at it’s current
location forever. A long term solution
must still be found (e.g. some sort of energy recovery system). |
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Marty Corcoran |
Tighter
controls over Back Lot development are needed. Community input is required. |
All
for high speed access as there will definitely improve business. |
Expansion
is costly, but required (moving costs would be a whole lot more). More recycling would be a good thing. |
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Joanne Cripps |
Tighter
control on waterfront lots and a review of lake quality is required before
any development is looked at. |
As
with the four-laning, high speed access is the way of the future. It will be a plus for the township, so
council should do what it can to bring in high speed. |
What
to do about the landfill is a tough question, but there’s no time left. The townships must act quickly. In favour of mandatory recycling. Has reservations about bag fees, but feels
some sort of fee could encourage recycling. |
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Earl Haggart |
Lots
on the opposite sides of the road need to be looked at to make sure areas are
not being overdeveloped. |
The
township needs it and it is coming.
High speed access will be a good thing. |
In
favour of expansion and increasing recycling.
Leary of fees as it could lead to an increase in illegal dumping. |
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Richard Holloway |
Some
areas should be opened up, but not where crowding is present. Strict controls based on individual lake
situations are needed. |
Yes. Agrees with statement. High speed is coming in over the next year,
but our lakes may not get it without a booster or tower. |
People
today are lazy, spoiled, and wasteful.
We need to make the necessary changes ourselves, or we need to
legislate change to deal with the waste issue. |
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Ken White |
Stricter
controls are required. |
The
township has high speed now in Burk’s Falls and Emsdale. The smaller areas may not see it, however. |
Currently,
$293k per year is budgeted for waste management. Need to expand and look at the issues. Need to encourage recycling. Seasonal residents may be part of the
problem because the ones that don’t recycle think their one bag of waste is
only small, but it all adds up to one big problem. |
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Patrick Hayes |
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Regrets |
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Candidate |
Question 4 of 6How
would you communicate progress on issues to your constituents (both permanent
and seasonal residents?) |
Question 5 of 6Can
you live with current council remuneration for the next four years? To clarify, current pay is $11+k/year for
Reeve and $8+k/year for Councillors.
This represents an increase of approximately 50% over the previous
term. |
Question 6 of 6Currently
seasonal residents receive few municipal services but the tax rates continue
to go up significantly. What added value services could the township bring to
these residents? |
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These two questions were
directed to Reeve candidates, Councilor candidates added comments. |
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Reeve
Candidates: |
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Bob MacPhail |
This
is your township and your tax dollars.
Constituents should bring their ideas to the attention of the
council. Councillors/Reeves could also
be invited to association meetings to provide updates. Council minutes could be posted in the free
Almaguin newspaper. |
Every
council raises their pay rate. Prior
to last increase, councilors were making $491 per month + attending 10
meetings a year. Armour councilors
were the lowest paid compared to all surrounding townships. The raise brought them up to an acceptable
level at about mid-range compared with other townships. No further increase expected next term. |
Constituents
need to tell councilors if there are services that they want. The assessments are a provincial
issue. Taxpayers are paying too
much. In favour of changing the way
assessments work by having a basic charge for everyone and then an assessed
amount applied to that. |
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Gary McFarlane |
Transparency
of council activities is needed. Town
hall type meetings, out in the communities, would be more informal and better
to deal with issues. Also, would be
available at the township office for face-to-face meetings. |
The
question is not how much councilors are getting paid, but how it is viewed by
the public. Perhaps if more money is
being paid, then ask for more work/effort.
The current pay scale hardly covers gas expenses, nevermind time. At the very least, expenses should be
covered. |
The
current formula is a provincial responsibility. Everyone is familiar with the assessment/ |
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Councillor
Candidates (four councilors to be elected): |
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Rod Blakelock |
Web
page updates and public meetings would keep constituents informed. |
In
the last two years, meetings have almost doubled and there is a large amount of
extra work needed. A monthly pay is
better than a per meeting rate. |
Meeting
agendas are quite full, but ideas are welcome and councilors will try to
squeeze them in. |
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Jerry Brandt |
Computer,
telephone and eye-to-eye. Always
approachable. |
Councilors
could budget more than one term. |
The
current taxation in wrong. If elected,
will do best to make it right.
Services that are a high priority include Health Care/Emergency
services and old age homes. Also
important are Blue Skies high speed and maintaining current services. |
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Marty Corcoran |
Name
and number in the phone book so anyone can call. More public meetings may help keep
constituents informed. |
Volunteering
and after hours work is part of the job and should be considered. |
Sympathizes
with seasonal residents paying high taxes.
In favour of lobbying provincial gov’t and |
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Joanne Cripps |
Call
council, they are always available.
The township office is a good resource, as is the township web
site. The local newspaper (with more
frequent updates) and the update included in the tax bill are also available. |
Always
a controversial issue. It may have
been better to phase the last raise in over the term instead of a one-time
raise. A pay by performance method may
be more realistic. |
If
there are extras that residents want, they should bring their ideas
forward. The township is burdened with
long term commitments, for example, bridge replacements and other borrowed
monies and commitments. There isn’t a
lot of money for new services. |
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Earl Haggart |
Number
is in the phone book |
Councilors
are not in this for the money. Wants to
see what can be done for the community, but doesn’t want to lose money doing
it. |
Council
is open to requests from residents.
Leary of flat rate idea due to dealings with the upper government and
possibility of getting hit with even higher taxes. |
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Richard Holloway |
Minutes
are available in the newspaper (but must be more current). Call by phone, email etc. Perhaps a summer information meeting would
help seasonal residents. |
Councilors
are not in this for the money. |
Residents
should make suggestions if there are services that are not currently
provided. |
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Ken White |
Internet
updates on the township web site and the tax bill information sheets are
currently available. Town hall
meetings (perhaps in Katrine) would be good. |
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Basically
agrees with other candidates, but feels that health care should be a high
priority and yet little is heard about it.
The emergency/walk in services are very busy in the summertime. It is currently questionable whether those
services will be maintained. In favour
of ensuring continued health care services. |
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Patrick Hayes |
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Date and
Time:
Moderator: Rod Ward, President, TMLCC
Scribe: Theresa Kyi-Ward, Director, TMLCC
Donation
and Question Table: Shelley
Johnson, Director, TMLCC