COST Endorsed Candidate
Candidate for Owen Sound City Council
I'm running for re-election because I care about Owen Sound and its people. I believe the next Council should build on the best parts of our community while creating new opportunities for the future.
My approach is practical: examine the facts, ask questions, find efficiencies and work with others to deliver results for residents.
Focused on cleaner public spaces, stronger local economic development, reliable services and responsible use of taxpayers' money.
Increase summer service levels for street and sidewalk cleaning, litter removal and maintenance of public spaces. In winter, improve snow and ice removal to help keep downtown accessible and safe.
Homelessness, addiction and mental-health challenges require coordinated responses, including access to treatment and appropriate housing. Public safety also matters, and public spaces should be maintained so everyone can use them safely.
Owen Sound needs a strong local role in economic development. I want the City to work closely with Grey County while taking an active lead in supporting local businesses, attracting new investment and creating opportunities for growth.
That includes timely and predictable development approvals, sufficient serviced land, competitive municipal costs and redevelopment of underused properties. Incentives should be targeted, necessary and tied to a clear public benefit—not broad subsidies for projects that would have proceeded anyway.
Residents expect the City to deliver the basics well: maintain core infrastructure, keep parks and public spaces in good condition, provide reliable municipal services and plan properly for the future.
Regular maintenance and thoughtful long-term planning can help reduce surprises and protect the services residents rely on.
Inflation should be an important benchmark for annual budgets, not an absolute cap. When circumstances allow, the City should aim to keep levy increases below inflation while still meeting essential needs.
I support requiring every department to identify potential savings, including staffing reductions where they can be made without compromising essential services. Reviews should reflect each department's actual responsibilities rather than impose the same arbitrary cut across the board.
The City should regularly review which services it provides, what they cost, whether they remain necessary and whether they can be delivered more efficiently. Spending & staffing should be justified, and changes should protect the essential services residents depend on.
Budget decisions often involve competing views about taxes, services and priorities. My approach is to focus on the overall objective, distinguish needs from wants and look for common ground—even when that means adjusting, reducing or delaying a proposal I support.
Residents should not need to understand the City's internal structure or know the right person to contact to get a basic service issue resolved. Whether the concern is missed garbage collection, snow clearing or an unanswered question, I believe councillors should connect residents with the appropriate staff and stay involved until there is an answer or resolution.
Taxpayers deserve transparent decisions and responsible use of public funds. In considering municipal investigations and other expenditures, Council should look carefully at the costs, process and outcomes, and ensure spending is proportionate to the issue being addressed.
I will ask questions, examine the evidence and work toward decisions that serve the broader interests of Owen Sound.
I'm running to help build a stronger Owen Sound's one that manages its resources
carefully,
supports local business, maintains essential services and creates
opportunities for the future.
QUESTION REVIEW IMPROVE.