Sarah Moffatt

Bloomfield/Hallowell Ward Two

Sarah Moffatt, a psychotherapist involved in social work, grew up in Trenton but now lives in Bloomfield with her fiancé. She said her job motivated her to run for council. “I see firsthand how many people in our community are struggling,” she said. “There is a large portion of people here who live paycheck to paycheck.”   On the issue of affordable housing, Moffatt said, “Housing is not a privilege, it is a basic human right.” She pointed out that rents have increased 20 per cent since 2020 while the vacancy rate is only 0.2 per cent. “What we really need are purpose-built rentals of one-to-two-bedroom apartments,” she said. “Seniors who are downsizing, and young people who come here for work currently have limited to no options.” She would like to see council push for affordable housing as a percentage of new development and would favour incentives for landlords to switch from short-term to long-term rentals. To attract younger families to the County requires building up services focused on children and youth, she added.

Tourism management needs work because that sector accounts for 1,700 jobs, she said, noting that the significant decline in tourism this year. She said the huge parking fines have also hurt residents, as have the restrictions on people using trailers on their own property. “The next council needs to continue working toward a balance between supporting sustainable tourism for our local businesses, but also respecting the year-round residents and allowing them access to the beautiful amenities the County has to offer,” she said.

Moffatt said a water commission is needed because some residents are being forced to decide between paying high water bills or buying groceries. She said the water relief program is a start but “I would advocate that further subsidies and financial support programs be explored.”

Not enough is being done for heritage, environmental sustainability, stewardship and protection in the County, she said. “As we are beginning to feel the extreme weather brought on by climate change, the municipality needs to do more to protect our water, trees, and bluffs. We also need to protect our agricultural land from urban sprawl.” Moffatt said she is very concerned about the loss of prime agricultural land to development in the County – 8 per cent or 7,000 acres in the last decade. “Once this farmland is gone we cannot get it back,” she said. “We also need more trees in order to combat climate change. We need to take action to keep the County beautiful and healthy for generations to come.”

Moffatt said many residents have told her that council is too large. “I feel this issue should be revisited,” she said. “A smaller council here would likely increase efficiency and save some tax dollars in the process.”