We endorse

The business of the County has undergone a much-needed restructuring over the past term. It was difficult, and at times painful, work. While not every move has led to a clear improvement, overall, the business is running more efficiently, the workforce is revitalized and there is reason to feel optimistic that old habits are fading—replaced by a renewed drive to serve customers and constituents well.

Yet in this campaign, too few candidates— particularly incumbents—have told you this story, or how they intend to build upon these achievements. Instead, the rhetoric has devolved into meaningless rallying cries to “take the County back.”

Nevertheless, through the election haze, some hopeful and positive voices have emerged. More are urged to join the discussion.

There are a great many resources from which to learn about the candidates: The Times website, wellingtontimes.ca, has a vast amount of information, much of it in the words of the candidates themselves. Gary Mooney has also conducted a comprehensive survey that poses 27 questions to each of the candidates. It is located at pec2014acs.wordpress.com.

Here are our recommendations for the next term of council.

RICK CONROY
THE TIMES

PICTON WARD ONE
Picton residents have enjoyed a lively and competitive race, featuring a diverse and interesting array of candidates. Both current Picton councillors, Bev Campbell and Brian Marisett, are stepping aside, opening the field for two new council representatives.

Stephanie Bell has brought a fresh and interesting voice to the issues. She has worked hard to inform herself about the County’s business and the matters she would like to bring to Shire Hall. We encourage her to continue to bring her creativity and refreshing perspective to County issues and debates.

Lenny Epstein has presented a well-crafted and thoughtful campaign. He has diligently immersed himself in the issues he cares most about and has demonstrated he can skillfully work to build consensus toward a goal. That was most evident in his advocacy work, earlier this year when he, and others, persuaded council to press the province to ban neonicotinoid pesticides. He is a working parent with young children. He will bring a welcome perspective to the next term of council.

Ray Hobson has been a sturdy campaigner and his willingness to sit through dozens of council and committee meetings is surely an admirable measure of his commitment to understand the role he is campaigning for. Unfortunately, Ray was unable to inspire enthusiasm or energy for his candidacy during the campaign. This bodes poorly for the hopes for a rejuvenated council.

Treat Hull has the proven management and marketing experience to make a strong contribution to Shire Hall. As a founder and key builder behind the creation of the community radio station 99.3 County FM, Hull has ably demonstrated the skill to inspire others in this community to work toward a common goal and the perseverance to achieve it.

Phil St-Jean is a solid advocate for his community. One expects he will continue to be a clear voice for Picton, whether he sits around the council table or not.

Laverne Bailey is a likeable guy. But he did little to represent Picton residents when he last sat on council. He appeared for only one of the two all-candidate meetings during this campaign and he doesn’t seem to have taken the campaign, seriously. For Bailey, the race seems more a popularity contest than a debate about the future of this community.

Our choice for Picton: Treat Hull and Lenny Epstein.

BLOOMFIELD WARD TWO
Barry Turpin is running unopposed in Bloomfield. Turpin is a decent, thoughtful and hardworking representative for his community. Moreover, he is diligent about educating himself and advocating on behalf of issues that reach far beyond the village.

Bloomfield will be ably represented. But sadly, they were deprived of a race in 2014—robbed of an opportunity to air their concerns and questions. It is not a healthy situation. We encourage him to make room for a fresh set of candidates in 2018.

WELLINGTON WARD THREE
Jim Dunlop continues to be a tireless advocate for the residents of Wellington—busy solving problems and working to find consensus on thorny issues in the village. He acts most effectively behind the scenes, as a mediator and conciliator in a wide array of challenges and disputes—including taking an active role in finding common ground between a Hillier winery and its neighbours.

Tina Konecny has demonstrated boundless energy, determination and enthusiasm in promoting events such as Bubblefest, and reviving Wellington’s Christmas parade. Less evident is her grasp of the issues facing the village and the County.

Marilyn Szoldra has presented a message of competence and thoughtfulness to the campaign in Wellington. She is well-informed on the issues such as the need for affordable housing, health care, escalating water rates and sustainability. We encourage her to continue to bring these issues to the public debate.

Our choice for Wellington: Jim Dunlop.

AMELIASBURGH WARD FOUR
There are real issues that deserve to be discussed in a reasonable and rational way in Ameliasburgh. Sadly, over the past term of council, the ward has suffered from a lack of leadership.

We encourage the three representatives for Ameliasburgh to convert the anxiety they have heard at the doorstep into clear and positive advocacy for their community.

Tim Fellows used his candidacy to highlight issues of the physically challenged in this community. But his campaign was derailed by a muddled and at times bizarre message.
Janice Maynard came to council in 2010, battling injustices and broken agreements endured by residents of Consecon and Carrying Place in their dealings with Shire Hall. But in her passion for digging for answers over the past four years, she has, in our view, tended to be confused about the role of councillor—too often eager to substitute her own earnest decision-making for decisions made by County’s staff or its qualified experts.

Still, Maynard is diligent about reading reports, reflecting on the potential impact and asking questions. She is committed to representing Ameliasburgh residents well.

Nick Nowitski came to council as the voice of frustration in Ameliasburgh. Unfortunately, the quality of debate of the ward’s issues has declined with his tenure. Nowitski’s questions are too often bellicose and rarely informed by insight or understanding. He is unquestionably forceful and provocative—but the role of councillor requires more.

Dianne O’Brien tends to be the moderate voice from Ameliasburgh. She is eager to understand and consider alternate or opposing views without compromising her values and those of her constituents. O’Brien is prone, however, to impulsively following the reactionary lead. In the next term of council, we encourage O’Brien to consider a larger view. Ameliasburgh needs leadership. O’Brien can and should answer this call.

Roy Pennell is an ever-present force in the debate over issues in Ameliasburgh. He has been a reliable community organizer and volunteer. But Pennell doesn’t represent the fresh voice Ameliasburgh needs. His candidacy is sincere, but his message is often at odds with his past complaints about Shire Hall.

Rachael Tracey’s campaign has been muted—struggling to muster the resources to cast her message as widely as it deserves. However, her perspective as a young person is needed around the council table.

It is critical that discussion about County youth and the role they play in the revitalization of this community— now begun—is allowed to grow and flourish over the next four years. This is more likely to happen with at least one councillor under the age of 35 sitting around the table.

Our choice for Ameliasburgh is Dianne O’Brien, Janice Maynard and Rachael Tracey.

ATHOL WARD FIVE
Jamie Forrester is a smart, energetic and capable councillor. He has been a diligent and assertive investigator of public spending and processes. His zeal and fervour has, at times diminished his effectiveness.

Forrester is clear headed on the issues and challenges facing this community, and doesn’t shy away from telling constituents hard truths. We encourage him, if elected again, to temper his aggression and direct his energies more toward developing solutions.

Stan Grizzle comes with distinguished political pedigree. He has led a variety of community organizations and initiatives. Grizzle understands the municipality can’t solve its infrastructure issues on its own—more pressure must be brought to bear at Queen’s Park. Listening to Grizzle in Cherry Valley last week, I am persuaded he would represent the County well in these important negotiations.

Tim VanHecke appears sincere, but light on the issues and workable solutions. He says he is willing to learn. We encourage him to do that.

Our choice in Athol: Stan Grizzle

HALLOWELL WARD SIX
Gord Fox represents the sturdy, reliable alternative in Hallowell. He is a known quantity, having served on council both pre- and post-amalgamation. Fox is an amiable and assured campaigner. But he is also a remnant of an era in which elected officials held tight rein over government business, and preferred to rule unfettered by public interference or second guessing.

Brad Nieman has seen the County from the inside, having been a municipal employee for a decade. While that may have its advantages, Nieman has failed to articulate how that experience will translate into effective representation of Hallowell residents around the council table.

Kathryn Noxon has been one of the few candidates in the 2014 campaign to talk about the effect of rising property taxes, and user fees on the poor, the working poor and those on fixed incomes in Prince Edward County. It is a constituency that is too easily overlooked in the haggling to fix roads, bridges and waterworks.

Keith MacDonald is running, I suspect, to spite all those who urge him to make way for a younger generation. McDonald has not lost any of his charm or ability to make a personal connection with voters on the street, in the coffee shop and at the rink. But the demands of the job require more than he seems able to give.

Our choice in Hallowell: Kathryn Noxon and Gord Fox

HILLIER WARD SEVEN
Steven Graham hopes Hillier will send one of their own to Shire Hall on Monday. Graham has a busy life with a career and young family. His is a perspective that is needed around the council table. Unfortunately, he has, so far in the campaign, displayed a thin grasp of the issues, the challenges and indeed the demands of the job.

Alec Lunn is the anti-politician. He doesn’t exhaust energy to rally support either from constituents or from his colleagues around the council table. As such, he tends to be on the losing end of many lopsided votes. Yet for many, this is Lunn’s charm and attraction as a representative. He makes up his own mind and rarely budges from it. He is neither abusive nor inattentive. He has been a consistent advocate of the County’s libraries, town halls and education.

Our choice in Hillier: Alec Lunn

NORTH MARYSBURGH WARD EIGHT
David Harrison is an old hand around Shire Hall and well-versed on its workings. That is both a strength and a weakness. He comes knowledgeable about the issues and process but perhaps hobbled by out-of-date ideas about what must be done. Much has changed at Shire Hall in the last five years. Harrison is encouraged, if elected, to take some time to become reacquainted with his surroundings.

Ronald Hendrikx chose an unconventional approach to campaigning for a council seat, eschewing campaign signs, and refusing to participate in the candidate survey prepared by Gary Mooney and presented in these pages.

Hendrikx is smart and insightful. He clearly enunciated his priorities and rationale for running—but his viewpoints came late in the campaign. No all-candidates meetings are scheduled. It seems a significant miscalculation.

Our choice: David Harrison

SOUTH MARYSBURGH WARD NINE
Steve Ferguson toils everyday on the front lines of the concerns of residents of South Marysburgh, as the editor and publisher of the South Marysburgh Mirror. Chief among these worries is the opposition in the ward to industrial wind turbines at Ostrander Point and the 29 turbines slated to be erected from Milford to Half Moon Bay. Ferguson has a clear idea about what he wants the next council to accomplish.

Kyle Mayne carves beautiful hand crafted duck calls.

Our choice: Steve Ferguson

SOPHIASBURGH WARD 10
As successive councils have churned out his former colleagues, Kevin Gale has slowly been elevated to status of elder statesman. While he remains prone to the ill-considered comment he is more likely to work toward a concensus than he was in years gone by. He is also the most skilled at moving meetings along and minimizing the grandstanding.

Gale represents a link to council’s past—which is both good and bad. Given the high turnover of council expected, institutional memory nets out as a positive for Gale.

Bill Roberts brings a wealth of business experience and community expertise to the council table. The former head of Vision TV and ZoomerMedia TV has a track record of building consensus between community groups, activists and stakeholders. His campaign has been organized, focused and disciplined. His message has been positive and hopeful. He is energetic, focused and highly skilled. Roberts will be a welcome addition to council.

Terry Shortt has worked hard to defend the values in which he believes. He has been unwaivering in his notion of what the County is, and what it isn’t. His is a clear voice for a community that longs for the way things used to be.

But to do that, he has had to ignore the growing chorus of voices insisting on change. He argued forcefully that the result of the ballot question in 2010 regarding the size of council didn’t represent the majority viewpoint and led the effort to delay its consideration.

Our choice for Sophiasburgh: Bill Roberts and Kevin Gale.

MAYOR
The race for mayor in the 2014 campaign has been disappointing.

Paul Boyd is a decent guy. He is earnest and sincere in his ambitions for the County. He has put a great deal of effort and energy into this campaign. But he is poorly informed about the workings of Shire Hall. Too often in the campaign, Boyd muddied issues rather than present a workable alternative.

His main argument is that amalgamation failed—rather than deliver savings, it produced escalating costs for the property taxpayer. It is a reasonable argument—one this newspaper has made—but it is futile in the context of a mayoral debate. Deamalgamating isn’t on the table—as much as we might wish it were. Instead, the next council must continue to work with like-minded municipalities to extract increased funding from the province. This is tough, tedious work—but it is currently the only path available. Paul Boyd hasn’t proposed an alternative.

We had high hopes for Jeff Goddard. A successful businessman, active in his community and a calm, yet forceful, presence around a meeting table. Further, he attracted a good team of volunteers around him— bringing his message to the community.

Disappointingly, that message has barely risen above hollow statements about protecting the hospital, lowering police costs and creating jobs for youth. Each of these is a complex file that defies easy solutions. The forces driving the centralization of healthcare, higher policing costs and our children having to work elsewhere are much bigger than Shire Hall. One wishes Goddard would have toiled for a term on council before thrusting himself into the quest for the mayor’s seat.

It would hard be to know what Robert Quaiff stood for, had he not been on council for the past seven years. He rose to prominence in the last term primarily on the basis of effectively campaigning against industrial wind turbines. Yet he has barely mentioned the issue in the campaign. He ably forged alliances with other municipalities, including the Wainfleet Working Group and the Coalition of “Not Willing” Hosts, to challenge provincial policy and regain municipal authority.

He has worked to compel solar developers to take responsibility for the damage they cause to County roads and bridges—but these issues, too, have been lost in the fog.

In attempting to appear acceptable to all, Quaiff has failed to carve out an obvious or compelling reason why he should be mayor. In fact, it remains unclear just days from election day, exactly what Quaiff will do if County voters give him the job.

Quaiff, however, possesses critical real-world experience in working in collaboration with other municipal leaders to affect provincial policy. This is an undeniable advantage.

Our choice: Robert Quaiff.