Hawkesbury mayoral candidate Gilles Greffe says responsible financial management, economic development and infrastructure improvements would be his three main priorities if elected.
Greffe says Hawkesbury needs a mayor who is accessible to residents, listens to their concerns and can bring council together around a clear vision for the community.
“Our next mayor will need to bring citizens and council members together around a clear vision, make responsible decisions, and demonstrate transparency,” Greffe said.
Focus on municipal spending
A major part of Greffe’s platform is financial management and how municipal tax dollars are spent.
He says residents should be able to clearly understand where their money is going and is proposing regular reviews of municipal programs and expenditures.
Those reviews, he says, could help identify what is working, what could be improved and where potential savings might be found.
Greffe stressed that his approach would not involve simply cutting municipal services.
“The goal is not to cut services blindly, but to deliver them more efficiently,” he said.
He also wants to see better planning of municipal investments, more proactive infrastructure maintenance and greater use of available provincial and federal grants.
Other possibilities he identified include bulk purchasing, regional partnerships and sharing certain services when doing so would make financial sense for Hawkesbury.
Economic development
Greffe says economic development would also play an important role in his approach to municipal finances.
He wants the city to support existing businesses, attract new investment and encourage job creation.
He argues that a stronger local economy could create employment, increase the municipal tax base and help reduce pressure on existing taxpayers.
“Before asking more of taxpayers, the Town must demonstrate that it has eliminated unnecessary expenditures and that it is using public funds responsibly and transparently,” Greffe said.
Long-term infrastructure planning
The condition of Hawkesbury’s infrastructure, particularly roads and municipal networks, is another key concern for Greffe.
He says the city needs a long-term investment plan based on clearly established priorities, allowing maintenance and improvements to be scheduled before problems turn into more expensive emergency repairs.
Greffe also identified municipal facilities, neighbourhood safety and the overall appearance and quality of the community as areas requiring attention.
“Reliable infrastructure and a safe city are essential for our residents, our businesses, and future generations,” he said.
Drawing on previous council experience
Greffe points to his previous experience on Hawkesbury Council as another asset he would bring to the mayor’s position.
He served on council from 2000 to 2010, a period during which the municipality worked on a number of major projects.
Those included construction of a new fire station and the purchase of an aerial ladder truck, development of Place des Pionniers, acquisition of the former Amoco plant site, installation of water meters and expansion of the wastewater treatment plant.
Greffe emphasized that those projects were collective achievements involving the municipal councils of the time, rather than accomplishments he is claiming as his own.
Four challenges ahead
Looking ahead, Greffe identifies four major challenges for Hawkesbury: maintaining municipal services while controlling costs, addressing aging infrastructure, strengthening economic development, and improving safety and quality of life in neighbourhoods.
On safety, he says the municipality will sometimes need to work beyond its traditional responsibilities by collaborating with police services, community organizations, local merchants and other levels of government.
He also says a united council and effective municipal administration will be important to tackling the city’s challenges.
Greffe says his goal is to provide leadership that can restore residents’ confidence in municipal government and focus on moving from promises to action.
“I do not promise that everything will be easy or that everything can be achieved immediately. However, I do promise to work tirelessly, to ask the right questions, to explain the council’s decisions clearly, and never to lose sight of citizens’ interests,” he said.