Regardless of being an often-thankless job, a sizable number of future council hopefuls have registered their intention to solicit the support of voters to serve the citizens of our City of Greater Sudbury for the next four years.
We hope those elected will consider a change from the past two terms of council that were marked by division, rancor and delusions of grandeur focused on creating a legacy of big projects and millions of dollars of taxpayer debt. This time many citizens are hoping for less drama and council getting back to the basics of good governance and responsibility.
First on the list of duties for a new council would be the cancelling of all proposed non-essential capital projects which would include the Junction East (Culture Center – new library and art gallery), the twin ice pads in the Valley and the downtown greenway, which would replace valuable convenient parking downtown.
With the KED now dead, there should be focus on low-cost renovation of the downtown arena, which the city has just revealed is in good shape and which North Bay accomplished with their arena, the same age as ours.
Likewise, renovations to other existing arenas, community centers, fire halls and other facilities that have been neglected over the years as well as more attention to needed infrastructure especially our crumbling roadways to which a portion of any money now borrowed should be directed as well as completing upgrades to playgrounds, parks and trails that promote health lifestyles and make our community more attractive and liveable.
It is time for those elected for the next term to put away “dreams and schemes” and concentrate on the core services on which we all depend, boring though that may be but essential. Attention should be paid to working with federal and provincial authorities to create more affordable housing which would help address homeless and addiction problems.
As the Chamber of Commerce has recommended the city needs to be more efficient in creating opportunities for business to thrive land create employment opportunities. The city should be looking at reducing their costs and the burden to taxpayers.
Those elected need to be more responsive to citizen needs and to hold ward meetings at least four times each year and not just to communicate by mailed out flyers. This would give our representatives the opportunity to actually listen to taxpayer concern with respect to any possible issues of importance and priorities and before actual decisions are made.
We also expect our council to be fiscally responsible and to budget our collected tax money efficiently, and to determine cost savings through more efficient management and use of resources. It is important that while respecting senior staff to not let them have too much influence as has been demonstrated over the past two councils.
The challenges our new council will face are many. The organization I represent, the local chapter of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) feels, as we think do many citizens, that these challenges should be meet with a respectful degree of prudence and fiscal control keeping in mind the large number of citizens, not just seniors, who are living on low and fixed incomes.
It is important that those wishing to represent us state unequivocally their position on the matters of importance which are certainly well known and not just the usual platitudes of job creation and costly expenditures of dubious value.
Consider your vote carefully – the next four years depend on making the right choice for the future of our city.
John Lindsay is president of the Sudbury chapter of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons.
