RECAP: Gibson Hosts Update on the Driveway Width Enforcement Concerns

Driveway width. It's been the political controversy of the year, and as council prepares to hear the matter of a suspension of certain provisions of bylaw enforcement, members of the Guelph community gathered this evening at the Victoria Road Recreation Centre to get an update. Ward 1 Councillor Dan Gibson hosted a town hall on the matter, and this is the recap. 

CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE - Dan Gibson for Ward 1 Councillor

Dan Gibson has become a well-known and outspoken presence around the council chamber in his first term as city councillor.  Can he convince Ward 1 voters to give an encore in October?

Driveway Town Hall Had Sad Stories and Hard Feelings

Who would have guessed that the most contentious issue of this municipal election year might be the width of driveways in certain neighbourhoods? This topic gathered people from across the east end of the city, and from other parts of the Guelph to attend a town hall hosted by the mayor and the Ward 1 councillors.

GUELPH POLITICAST #118 - Mapping the Ward, An Update

The Ward. It's so ubiquitous to the city that you don't even need to identify it by its full name. It's just the Ward. In the (not literal) shadow of downtown, the Ward is one of the oldest parts of Guelph, and it's seen a lot of changes over the decades, but perhaps none so pronounced as what's happening now. The question: might there be some resentment about that from long-time residents?

GUELPH POLITICAST #108 - Gibson and MacKinnon on Being a Councillor

Gibson and MacKinnon at the 2014 swearing in of council.

Not to alarm you guys, but there's a municipal election in October. There is certainly anticipation for this event in local democracy, and there's already a working list out there about who on the present council is running and who is still just a maybe. But let's forget the horse race for a moment, and talk about the job itself. More than that let's talk about what the job looks like after doing it for the last three years.

OPEN SOURCES GUELPH BEAT #2 - City Councillor Dan Gibson (Ward 1)

Dan Gibson (L) at the Council Swearing in, Dec. 2014

Last month, it occurred to Scotty Hertz and myself that maybe our radio show on CFRU can be used for more than saying our opinions about current events... Seriously though, we always knew that, but we decided that we should set ourselves the goal of inviting all 12 of Guelph's city councillors on the show for a friendly conversation, and because our imagination is so poor, we decided to start with Ward 1.

RECAP: Bob Bell and Dan Gibson Hosted Ward 1 Townhall

Wednesday night, Ward 1 Councillors Dan Gibson and Bob Bell hosted the first townhall of the year. The room at the Italian Canadian Club was full, the townhall went about half-an-hour overtime, and a wide variety of issues were covered from beginning till end. If you weren't able to attend, or want to relive the experience, the live tweets from the forum are all arranged below for your transparent delight.

Maria Pezzano (Ward 1) - Candidate Questionnaire

Maria Pezzano was the last person to register for the election to run in Ward 1, but she's in it, as they say, to win it. A life long Guelphite, Pezzano grew up surrounded by her tight-knit Italian-Canadian family. "There was always the aroma of fine foods cooking," she says. "The main ingredient was always love." Working her way through Sacred Heart School, St. James School and Bishop Macdonell High School, Pezzano made her way to Fanshawe College and then came back to Guelph to start her career as an artist 27 years ago. She's had studios on Wyndham St., and in the Trafalgar Building, but he current artistic works can be seen and bought at Studio Boutique at 77 Suffolk St. W. Since 2010, she's been involved in mobilizing and organizing The Ward Residents’ Association, a group of citizens that came together to offer input and influence in regards to the development on 5 Arthur St. S. So what would Pezzano do for Ward 1? Read her candidate questionnaire below to find out.

Terry O'Connor (Ward 1) - Candidate Questionnaire

Terry O’Connor is a well-known figure to Guelph politicos, so it's almost hard to believe that he's never run for office before. The former Labour Council president came to Guelph in 1968 and worked for Bell Canada as a service technician. Retiring in 2009, he became Labour Co-ordinator for the Guelph Wellington Dufferin United Way to increase the participation of local unions in United Way fund raising campaigns. O’Connor was also a founding member of the Guelph-Wellington Task Force for the Elimination of Poverty and has worked with several social justice organizations including the Guelph-Wellington Social Justice Coalition and the Guelph Well-Being Initiative. But that's work, when it comes to play, O'Connor has coached in the Guelph Minor Hockey Association and the Guelph Minor Baseball Association, and he was the first president of the Guelph Girls Hockey Association. “I believe one of my strengths is bringing people together to successfully work through opportunities and difficulties,” O’Connor says. “I take a hands-on approach to dealing with both.” And so it is with the candidate questionnaire, as O'Connor takes a hands on approach to talking about the issues.

Karolyne Pickett (Ward 1) - Candidate Questionnaire

Karolyne Pickett ran for Ward 1 in 2010, and she's back again for 2014. It could be argued that politics is in her blood, as she was born in the nation's capital, and is proudly bilingual. She studied biology at the University of Ottawa, and later obtained a Master's Degree in ecology from the University of Toronto before going to work at the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans. But later she moved to Guelph to work for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, where she analyzed projects such as new subdivisions, bridge repairs and wind turbine installations for impacts on species at risk, and developed mitigation measures to protect their habitat. When Pickett leaves work, the environment is still on her mind as she sits on the Board of Directors for the local not-for-profit organization Pollination Guelph, whose most well known project is the pollinator garden on the Eastview landfill. And on top of it all, she gave birth to a son just last December. It seems like she's got more than enough on her plate already, but she really wants to be a Ward 1 councillor, and she took the time to answer the Guelph Politico Candidate Questionnaire.

Dan Gibson (Ward 1) - Candidate Questionnaire

In his campaign for Ward 1, Dan Gibson is making it clear that he thinks his ward is being ignored, and he's not going to take it anymore! A senior environmental scientist with over 15 years experience working in both the private and public sector, Gibson has focused on sustainable development and seeking innovative ways to resolve complex issues. He's been a guest lecturer, a published author, contributed to federal and provincial socio/economic impact studies, and has been a part of over 50 environmental assessments for land use planning/development across Canada. Personally, Gibson and his wife volunteer for International Children’s Aid Organization and are committed financial partners of Lakeside Hope House in Downtown Guelph. Gibson has also served as a volunteer at a Salvation Army men’s shelter in downtown Toronto. Now, he hopes to represent Ward 1 in the very contentious race in Guelph's original ward.

Bob Bell (Ward 1) - Candidate Questionnaire

Bob Bell is an engineer and entrepreneur that owns and operates Wike Bicycle Trailers. Growing from a small basement operation to a thriving local manufacturer, Wike is the largest manufacturer of bicycle trailers in North America. Every trailer that Wike sells is made in Guelph. In 2006, Bell was first elected to Guelph City Council, and in his role as a councillor he's served on the Solid Waste Master Plan Committee, the Composting Steering Committee, the Grand River Conservation Authority, Guelph Non-Profit Housing Corporation and the several Standing Committees. Before council wrapped before the election, he was Chair of the Planning, Engineering, Environment, and Building Committee. He also boasts the best attendance record of any city councillor, and Bell hopes that because of his track record of voting and acting independently, his constituents will return him to council for a third term.

Furfaro Decides to Not Run for Re-Election

Another one bites the dust? Perhaps a cruel (or cruelly funny) way of putting that, but in week that's already seen two incumbent councillors decline the chance to run for re-election, first-term Ward 1 Councillor Jim Furfaro has decided to join them. All eyes now turn to Furfaro's Ward 1 colleague Bob Bell, will Bell ring up a re-election push, or has he tolled for the end of his time on city council?

Familiar Faces, New to the 2014 Race

The post-provincial election launch of municipal campaigns marches on with two new nominations filed yesterday, one an incumbent councillor and the other an incumbent candidate. June Hofland joins an already busy race in Ward 3 in a bid to keep her job. Meanwhile, Karolyne Pickett will try again to gain one of the Ward 1 seats after her fourth place finish in 2010.

Gibson Makes Ward 1 a Race

Proving that the provincial election isn't slowing down the municipal race too much, a new name declared itself for the city council ballot this fall, and they're aiming to represent Ward 1. Everyone, welcome scientist and small business owner Dan Gibson to the 2014 Municipal Election.

2014 Election Update - At Least 1 More Candidate

The election year started out so excitedly with a flurry of activity, numerous candidates across several categories in just the first few weeks of the nominations being open, but since January 15 only 2 new candidates have filed their papers. What are we to make of this? Probably nothing. Looking back, as of April 14 in 2010 only 8 candidates had filed their papers, so with now 17 registered candidates on the ballot, the election year so far is already over 50 per cent more contentious. Number 17 joined the race last week, and number 18 might be warming up in the bullpen.

Ott Wants You to Know That He's Thinking About the Children

Ward 1 candidate Russell Ott sent out this press release today outlining, what he thinks, may be an overlooked issue in his Ward - the amount of school space in the area. It's interesting to be sure, and maybe one of the facets of the Woods redevelopment that has not yet been fully thought through in the rush to get building on the site? Read on to learn Ott's thoughts. 

KEEPING AN EYE ON THE SCHOOL-AGE POPULATION

As a candidate for Ward One in next week's election, I have spent many hours visiting residents of the ward and getting familiar with the issues. Number one for most people living in the old St. Patrick's Ward (fondly known as “ the ward” ), is the future of the W.C. Wood plant. There is much still unknown about the proposed development in this area bounded by Arthur Street, Elizabeth Street, Cross Street and the river. However, one thing is certain. Residential dwellings will be built on this site. This will mean increased density for the area and, with increased density, will come more families and children.

While not directly a concern for a city councillor, I keep thinking about the potential number of families who will call the ward home in a few years. Where will the children of these families go to school? Traditionally, there has been only one school in the ward – Tytler School. However, this venerable institution is slated to close in 2012 when the new King George is completed. Was a projected increase in population taken into account when this decision was made? Will all the children living in the ward have to climb the hill to King George? Even the kindergarten children who live on York Road? Will some of these children have to be bused? I think it would be a disaster to close Tytler at this time, knowing there could be a large group of students living on the Wood site. We need to be open to alternatives to accommodate this increase in school-age population.

I don't think these students can be successfully dispersed to other city schools. The east end cannot support additional students. A sign posted for the Watson Creek Phase 3 development warns that students moving into this area may be shipped to other schools as Ken Danby/Holy Trinity may not have the capacity to support expected growth. Besides, if there is sufficient population in the ward to warrant a school, we should have one there.

In sending this release to the media, I just want to make it known to the residents of the ward and the downtown area that I plan to investigate this situation when elected.

Candidate Questionnaire - Peter Bortolon (Ward 1)

1) Why did you want to run for city council?

I decided to run for council this term as I feel our current taxation level is unacceptably high, our current council seems to be taking on expensive capital projects that I am not sure that the taxpayers of the City can afford

2) What do you think of the performance of the last council?

I think our past council had many successes, but I believe that they were not always as focused on the issues as they should have been. Specifically, the numerous times they took the County of Wellington to court and end up losing their case. I believe honest dialogue would have saved thousands of dollars in court costs, lawyer fees etc. I also believe that they did not study the proposed three-bin system for garbage as thoroughly as they should have nor did they get the necessary input from ALL Guelph residents. I believe that they did not thoroughly do their budgeting correctly leaving the City of Guelph without essential services for five days.

3) Please describe your position/ideas on the following issues:

a) Taxes

Taxes are currently too high in the City of Guelph and if not brought under control we will eventually lose development of new commercial and industrial lands which will have a long term detrimental effect on the City

b) Budget

I believe that we must budget must better than we have in the past so that we do not have to send employees home for five days without pay and take away vital services to our residents. We must set realistic budgets and stay within them. As for large capital expenditures, we must really evaluate ALL new capital requests to ensure that we have the funds available. This will require council to prioritize projects and even set aside money every year for large capital items that will be need in the next few years

c) Transit

We must study our whole transit plan and that includes a new terminal for buses, the GO Train, VIA Rail etc

d) Development/Infrastructure

Guelph needs development to continue to grow, but we must work with the developers to ensure that the development will also meet the needs of the area being developed so we do not have a situation like we have in the eastside of Ward 1 where we have a lot of new homes, but no services such as medical centres, pharmacies and grocery stores.

As for the Infrastructure, we as a City will need to continue upgrading our water and sewer services across the City. If elected, I will try to have a plan developed so that we can have the infrastructure replaced before we have broken pipes that end up getting a patch.

e) Arts & Culture

Arts and culture are the soul of any community. I would support projects in these areas providing there are funds available and the groups requesting support have a sound financial plan in place.

4) Is there another issue that you’d specifically like to highlight/focus on?

I believe the City of Guelph must re-consider the three bin system for our garbage. The $30,000,000 expenditure at this time, I believe, is unaffordable, especially in the light of some reports saying it will be at least 30 years before the system will be at capacity.

I believe that building something with today's technology for use 30 years from now is not a wise decision. It would be like the city trying to run all the administration on Commodore 64's instead of the computer systems we are currently using.

5) What’s your message for voters?

I am asking for your support on Election Day to help make the City of Guelph a better, more affordable place to live. I have always been very committed to the City of Guelph. I’m a volunteer for many organizations including Guelph minor sports, the Italian Canadian Club, The Knights of Columbus and St. John's Parish.

I have lived in the City of Guelph and in Ward 1 my entire life and I will work very hard if elected to improve the City and Ward 1 specifically.

Candidate Questionnaire - Tamara Williams (Ward 1)

1) Why did you want to run for city council?

My role in public service positions has spanned the entire 18 years that I have lived in Guelph. The thing I like most about Guelph is the people and I would like to be on city council so I can help build a great quality of life for its citizens. There are so much great things about Guelph, but I would like to work for the people of Ward 1 so they are heard. I am a good listener and can translate this need into real policies that will benefit people.

2) What do you think of the performance of the last council?

Council met many challenges last term. I think their accomplishments will come to fruition over this next term. I’m hearing that people would like to see less spending and more planning concerning the real needs of the people. City Council has a responsibility to do this. There are some hopeful signs of good things to come. A transit service that runs every 15 minutes during peak hours is one of them. In Ward 1 people want to have services in their residential neighbourhood and the W.C. Woods land needs to be developed with the cultural heritage and values of the Ward neighbourhood being thoroughly considered. Once construction is finished a comprehensive traffic study should be done so our children are safe while playing and going to school.

3) Please describe your position/ideas on the following issues:

a) Taxes

Many people have told me that they are worried about rising taxes in the city. Taxes are necessary to support our budget and our quality of life. How the money is spent, where and when, must be considered carefully so there is little waste. Council should continuously work to get the best value for each tax dollar. For seniors, I am proposing that city council have a program similar to the one in Elliot Lake. There, if seniors who are on fixed incomes and it is low, they would bring in their proof of income to city hall and their taxes would be frozen at the rate they presently are paying. This program is wonderful so people can continue to live in their homes and have the independence and dignity that they deserve.

b) Budget

Council budget should always be transparent, visible and based on the vision and values set out by the people and their needs.

c) Transit

Many have told me about their concerns over accessible transit, safe neighbourhoods, traffic control including safe sidewalks and roads is of utmost importance. This is one place where money should be invested. I myself am a transit rider and the cutting of this service to people in the most vulnerable of our society is not appropriate. i.e. No Sunday service last summer in August.

d) Development/Infrastructure

We are going to grow to a population of 175,000 by 2020. City council needs to infill and invest in brownfield development. Urban sprawl onto our farmland must not be a choice during this development.

e) Arts & Culture

Guelph is unique because of the large population of artists and musicians within the city. This represents a large group of very talented people giving to the city. We should continue to support the arts and our cultural heritage which would also promote tourism and result in good business for the city.

4) Is there another issue that you’d specifically like to highlight/focus on?

In Ward 1 people have expressed concerns about traffic and access to shopping in their neighbourhood. This is a local concern that should be addressed. The legacy that we want to leave for our children needs to be one of fiscal responsibility and environmental consciousness.

5) What’s your message for voters?

If elected I will work for you and be accessible throughout the four-year term. Take the time to vote on October 25th. I would be honoured to represent you on city council. Please help me make a difference and vote for Tamara Williams.

Candidate Questionnaire - Jim Furfaro (Ward 1)

1) Why did you want to run for city council?

I believe that one of life’s mandates is to “be of service.” I have always believed in and practiced public service. Life is not always about “taking.” It should also be balanced with “giving.”

A common and often heard complaint from voters is that that candidates are visible to voters during the campaign and once elected are seldom seen. I want to assure voters that their support will be recognized beyond Election Day. I plan to “put constituents and their needs first.” I will keep voters informed (townhall meetings) and up-to-date on key issues that have a potential impact on Ward One or the entire city.

I have many years of leadership experience (in education) that will be valuable when addressing the many challenges that face Councillors. I also served as a Catholic school Trustee for the last four years. While chairing the Corporate Services Committee, I gained a lot of insight into the budget process that will greatly assist me as a city councillor.

2) What do you think of the performance of the last council?

On the positive side, Council gets credit for a number of initiatives. A much improved organic waste processing facility, 25 infrastructure projects that will save taxpayers millions of dollars, a new transit terminal, a partnership with Guelph Hydro for photovoltaic electricity and the new Hanlon Creek Industrial Park.

Balance the above with the following: Guelph Civic Museum is expected to be considerably over budget. We have an organic waste plant that was built larger than necessary. The Region of Waterloo gets two-thirds of our facility for 20 years. Why did the city not partner with The Region of Waterloo to cut costs and debt load? The Canadian Federation of Independent Business conducted a survey last June. A total of 272 firms were asked to rate city hall’s performance as good, adequate or poor in five areas. A “poor” rating was the grade in each area. IMICO is the elephant in the room nobody wants to acknowledge. It’s been an embarrassment to the ward and city for many years. When will Council realize that rehabilitating this property is good for Ward 1 and the entire city?

3) Please describe your position/ideas on the following issues?

a) Taxes

In the last four years, property tax increases have totalled 16.4 per cent, an average of 4.1 per cent per year. This is considerably more than the cost of living or inflation rate. Industrial commercial taxes need to be adjusted upward from the present rate of 16 per cent. I believe this is possible with the newly developed Hanlon Creek Business Park. More serviced land is available and a plan should be in place to gradually raise the present rate to at least 20 per cent. I think this is attainable and would take some pressure off the residential rate which is 84 per cent.

b) Budget

The 2011 budget should not contain many big-ticket items. Several deferred projects are presently on the books. Library ($50M), south end rec centre ($37M), Wilson Street parkade ($16M). Let’s also keep in mind the possible over run in costs associated with the many infrastructure projects, the Guelph Civic Museum, the Transit Hub and the three bin garbage system to be phased in 2012.

The new council needs to set a "ceiling" on property taxes prior to the budget process. This tax cap will help councillors focus on expenditures that are well planned and absolutely vital.

c) Transit

I am not fully versed in the current “official” transportation plan, however, the city needs a system that is comprehensive enough to serve the needs of commuters, those who rely on the various means of public transit (GO Train, coach) plus students and seniors. The system needs to be reliable, efficient and cost effective in order to encourage ridership. I would like to see an official review take place every couple of years to determine if the transit plan (of the day) is meeting the needs of those who use it.

d) Development/Infrastructure

There are a number of opportunities in the coming term for council to address development and infrastructure. The Wood/Kilmer property is awaiting a demolition permit, which is the first step to developing is prime brownsfield and key component of the overall downtown development plan. The former Marsh Tire location is another downtown property that will need to be looked at and determine what role it will play in the downtown development plan. Finally, there is the long forgotten IMCO brownsfield. I would like to see this long forgotten albatross addressed in earnest. It has been neglected far too long. Residents within the immediate area need to know that IMCO will be given “top priority.” It’s time to meet with prospective developers, establish a number of partnerships and discuss potential uses for the site.

e) Arts & Culture

The annual “Festival Italiano” is a great success story. I believe it’s possible to duplicate the format with other cultures. The “multicultural festival” is a one day experience where numerous cultures attempt to do what Festival Italiano does over three days. Consideration should be given to a different format. Have all the participants of the multicultural festival choose one full day throughout the summer months to showcase their food, music, dance and related activities. This now provides a number of opportunities for the public to participate and become more familiar with the varied and rich cultures we have in our city.

4) Is there another issue that you’d specifically like to highlight/focus on?

While campaigning door-to-door, the vast majority of seniors had lots of questions related to the newly proposed three bin garbage system. Their concerns revolved around the issue of storage, size, odour, maggots and the unknown challenges of winter. Will the use of bio-degradable (liner) bags be explored? Will council seek public input prior to implementation in 2012? Council has more than one year to provide answers to many questions. Council needs to do its homework and get this three bin garbage system right the first time.

5) What’s your message for voters?

This election is as much about “change” as it is about issues. There are ten incumbent councillors seeking re-election and twenty-three individuals believing they can make a difference. Be prepared for “business as usual” in how things are done in the council chamber if voters choose not to make substantial changes.

I have held positions of responsibility. I possess a range of skills. I am in good health and prepared to take on the challenges of this job. I will be visible and provide a quality level of service to Ward 1 constituents and the city.

I want to work for you! Hire me on October 25.