Sam Grosso

Ameliasburgh Ward Four

Choosing the County because it is a great place to raise his children, Sam Grosso moved his family here nine years ago. “I love where I live,” said the owner of the music venue Sam’s Place, but he feels the County is at a critical stage in its development and needs the engagement of the voting public. “I want nothing more than to help the County prosper.”

Grosso suggested the solution to the affordable housing problem will require thinking outside the box. With much of the current development focused on single family dwellings, he said more apartment buildings should be constructed. “They don’t have to be monstrous … seven floors maximum, even five would be good, he said. “Think about how many families could live in these spaces. If we want families to stay here, we need to be able to house them.”

The issue of the high cost of waterworks goes beyond the urban centres, he said, pointing out that while his ward is the largest and pays the bulk of the County property tax, it receives the least amount of support. “The cost of digging wells is enormous,” he said. “The County should be providing residents of Ward 4 (with wells) a tax break … given the fact we are not included in the County’s waterworks system.”

When asked about heritage, Grosso said he would like to see both theIndigenous and Loyalist histories celebrated through more festivals, cultural gatherings and publicly promoted events. “We need to narrow the gap between people,” he said.

Grosso said environmental sustainability is critical to everyone’s survival. “The County needs to set the priorities to protect and maintain our critical natural resources … while providing space for development,” he said. “We should encourage developers that utilize environmentally sustainable building methods and specialize in sustainable housing.”

The size of Council is a tough question, he said, one that depends on the effectiveness of Council. But he pointed out the importance of having three councillors in Ward 4 with more than 5,000 constituents. “If there was only one councillor, that person would be working 24 hours a day,” Grosso said. As for Council itself, he said, “In order to prosper and continue to function as a unique region, we need to move with the times and park some of our old-school ideologies. … Effective time management and getting things accomplished should be the priority. We don’t want to continue running on a hamster wheel. It’s time to get off and get things done.”