Voters want to know where the candidates stand on the issues and so does Sudbury.com.
To that end, Sudbury.com is running a special election feature: Where Do They Stand? We picked nine issues that mattered, and reached out to the mayoral candidates and invited them to give us their answers.
Each candidate has 250 words or less to stake out their position on each of these issues: the Kingsway Entertainment District (KED); expanded casino gambling; large project spending; downtown Sudbury and the urban-rural divide; taxation (everyone’s favourite); roads (always top of mind in Sudbury); the health of our lakes; the state of firefighting in the city, and; transparency, openness and leadership.
Today is the final article in the Where Do They Stand? series.
What makes a good leader exactly? Several of those people looking to unseat Brian Bigger and becomes Greater Sudbury’s mayor have said the incumbent lacks leadership qualities. He’s been criticized for not being a good steward, particularly when it comes to the large legacy projects the sitting council got behind.
In the 2014 municipal election, a main plank of Bigger’s campaign was openness and transparency in city government. Now, the tables have been turned and his opponents are accusing him of not living up to those principles over the past four years.
What makes a good leader? What does openness and transparency look like? The candidates weigh in below.
Every candidate was invited to participate, but not all of them chose to do so. Here are the answers from those who did. Rodney Newton, Troy Crowder, and David Popescu did not supply answers.
You can click on each candidate’s name to visit their page on the Sudbury.com election website.
Here's the question we asked:
Transparency and openness have been election issues for the past couple of election cycles. Leadership, or the lack thereof, has become an issue in this election. Does the city have an openness and transparency issue? What makes you an effective head of council? Explain your position.
Brian Bigger (incumbent)
The City of Greater Sudbury publishes every report, agenda and meeting announcement online. We have an access to information system we are legally obligated to follow – and we do. In our city there is a lot going on at all times. I’m concerned people not knowing how to locate information is sees as a lack of transparency – and perhaps we need to work better at that. But with the very active and engaged council we have enjoyed the last four years – nothing is done without a lot of consultation scrutiny, debate and openness. As a leader, I stand by all of the hard work we have finally accomplished as a council. We are finally working together and moving things forward in open and transparent formats.
Cody Cacciotti
Open communication and transparent decision-making is essential. Better informing our citizens means we can avoid the kind of confusion and chaos that has surrounded large projects like the KED. When citizens are informed and engaged they can offer constructive insight to the wants and needs of their community. Listening is the first thing a mayor should do.
Bill Crumplin
Openness and transparency are valuable concepts. However, they can collide with matters of privacy that are outlined in the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. There will be times when, for personnel, proprietorship reasons etc., such discussions happen out of the public eye.
The city does seem to have a transparency issue related to communicating with and engaging citizens. We must create an electronic platform that offers open data to allow citizens to monitor both operational and budget activities and see the use and benefits of taxes.
This communication platform would also allow citizens with a vested interest to express their support, suggestions or concerns respectfully. Council would be expected to access this platform on a regular basis.
I would be an effective head of council because I am a communicator. I am a listener who seeks to understand all sides of a debate. I am a people person. I am a collaborator and but not a push over. I will hold myself and all members of Council accountable without exception.
Lastly, as I have outlined in my platform, I would bring council to the people. Council meetings can be rotated through our various communities to allow the people an opportunity to meet their elected officials. Decisions of council effect everyone, to be an effective mayor and council we must be present in all of the communities we serve.
Jeff Huska
The city started this last term with a pledge of openness and transparency, but lately have had difficulty keeping that promise. The ongoing questions that were not being answered surrounding who is paying what with the KED hasn’t helped. To be honest, if they had been upfront and open with this project all along, the climate surrounding the Kingsway vs. downtown might not be so volatile.
When the City of Greater Sudbury is moving into any partnership with anyone from the private sector, all contractual agreements should be made public especially with projects of this size. The old adage is true, if you’ve done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide be open about everything.
As your next mayor, I promise to be open and transparent with decisions regarding Greater Sudbury. If offered, I’d welcome the opportunity to partner with our local media outlets to have open forums held monthly to allow residents to call in and ask questions about specific issues surrounding the city.
I’d hold localized town hall meetings that are rotated throughout the municipality in an attempt to make myself as available as possible to answer questions and explain the direction your city is taking. I’d ask nothing less from each councilor in their wards. Regardless of anyone’s perception of what public service is all about … we do work for you, the public.
Ron Leclair
I believe that there should be complete openness towards the people of Sudbury. They need to know what we are doing to make their city a better place to live, work and play and how we are going about it. People don’t always understand cost factors of these endeavors, so it's up to the head of council to make them aware. Being more informed, will make people feel more involved in their city, and will result in a greater desire to get more involved. There would be less hostility regarding taxpayer spending. When elected as “The Peoples Mayor,” I would set up a forum where we could inform the people of this city what we are doing as we are doing it, to make improvements that are necessary. Also, to inform them of cost factors, and benefits of certain projects put into place. I believe in an open and honest policy.
Dan Melanson
There is a crisis of openness and transparency at Tom Davies Square. During the last election we were promised by Mr. Bigger that if elected he would bring those virtues to TDS. What he has delivered is anything but transparency and openness. That a sitting member of council who asks for the details of a duly awarded city contract is told that they will have to file a Freedom of Information request, to be able to see the contract details, speaks volumes about the lack of openness and transparency by the current administration.
I have a reputation in the aviation industry as a straight shooter who gets things done. I have demonstrated, over the years, an ability to bring diverse groups together to work as a team towards a common goal. I will bring these attributes to the mayor’s office and the overall operation of the city.
Patricia Mills
Listen. Learn. Lead. This isn’t just a catch phrase, and I will not be going to Tom Davies Square without ensuring I continue to do so. One of the things you’ve been very clear about is your desire for a truly open and transparent city hall. Too often it seems, dealing with our city leaves more questions than answers.
I want to create a city hall that truly gives citizens a voice and is accountable to them. You will be able to measure me over four years on the results I achieve, and where I may fall short of my goals. I will make it easy for you to hold me accountable. We will publish our performance on the matters that mean most to you. Tax rates. Job rates. Spending. Snow removal. Kilometres of road fixed. Water quality. The city collects these statistics, and they will be published, good or bad. That is the ROI you get with Patricia Mills as your mayor – Respect Openness Integrity.
Bill Sanders
I think the city does have a transparency issue. It does not have an openness issue. You can talk to the city till you are blue in the face and they “look” like they are listening and then either do the opposite or do nothing at all. We all see that. There is transparency and that is why so many are running in this election.
We see the incompetence and dysfunction of the council. We get to watch from the comfort of our homes the council meetings and shake our heads as we watch the city drive down an extremely bumpy road of awkward incompetence. I would make an effective head of council because I can only talk about chickens for 10 minutes. That’s my limit. But seriously my threshold for bullshit is extremely low therefore I do not like rhetoric.
I will be honest, funny and reasonable. The council will be guided by common sense, of which I have in abundance, I have the ability to negotiate with my council to execute ideas and policy and finally I have a vision that makes sense and is accessible to all councilors. Oh and regularly scheduled dance breaks during council meetings.
This concludes Sudbury.com’s Where Do They Stand? series. We hope if was informative and helped you make your best choice in the 2018 municipal election. Remember you can cast a ballot anytime, anywhere until 8 p.m. Oct. 22.
And join Sudbury.com for our live election show on Monday evening.
