Brent Kleinsteuber

Wellington Ward Three

Brent Kleinsteuber is one of the younger candidates in the County for this election, but what he lacks in experience, he makes up in passion for his community and a love for the place he calls home. Kleinsteuber was born in Picton and has lived in Wellington for most of his life. His family is deeply rooted here, going back several generations to the early 1800s. It’s a legacy he’s proud of and Kleinsteuber wants to make sure that the hard work his family has put into this area over the years is for a reason. Even though not as old as some of his running mates, he has already put in a significant amount of community service, volunteering his time for causes like the Wellington Rec Committee and the Legion Branch 160.

“I am running in this election to represent my current and future community. The concerns of County residents are my concerns. I am deeply passionate about this place that I have always called home. I hope that I can bridge the gap between our younger and senior voters. I will listen to the constituents’ concerns and be their voice,” says Kleinsteuber

For concerns facing voters in Ward Three, Kleinsteuber feels that the top issue is housing and that people of all ages are feeling the squeeze. He would like to see Wellington with more houses entering the market at an appropriate market price in relation to the County’s average income. Census statistics show a downward trend in population for Prince Edward County. Without more housing and longterm residents, all other issues like roads, hospitals, schools, water infrastructure and tax rates cannot be addressed. Health care and water are also major priorities.

“We need to keep good health care in the County. If our hospital only offers basic services or is no longer viable and closes, we would see a sharp population decline. The waterworks rates cannot begin to be reduced until the infrastructure is updated and more residences added to the system,” says Kleinsteuber.

The frustration with the state of our roads and rising property taxes are also on the radar, although Kleinsteuber believes that prudent spending on the part of the County would keep property taxes in check. Also, he would like to spend some time on looking into the transit system and how that would roll out. As for the youth of today, he’d like to see more young people taking part in their communities. So many people in these days of social media are closing themselves off and not contributing much to the world around them. He’s hoping his presence on the ballot will make the younger generation take notice.

For opportunities in relation to the next council, Kleinsteuber thinks that building up the community aspect of the housing issue and bringing up development to the point where our population is no longer in decline but flourishing and moving forward is key. Another opportunity is to continue to honour the heritage of this region by protecting and preserving any land or building designated with a heritage status.

“I’ve been following local and provincial politics for some time now. It’s been an interest of mine. I also like helping out the community, so it’s kind of tying those two together for me and it’s been fun getting a front row seat to the politics. I guess we’re all just trying to be good custodians to move into the future with a healthy community” says Kleinsteuber.