The speeches and policies did not change much, but it is becoming very clear this is becoming a nasty electoral contest between Centre Wellington Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj and challenger Bob Foster.
Ross-Zuj has defended her record against charges and complaints from Foster, but several citizens are asking some tough questions that have left Foster hurling charges of mud slinging.
When the public question period began at the Fergus Legion at the Sept. 29 all candidates’ meeting, resident George Mochrie asked Foster, “What have you been doing the last five years,” seeking not his political work, but his job record. Mochrie asked if Foster has held “a multitude of jobs,” and why he changed them.
Foster’s reply was, “There you go again, slinging mud.”
He said he worked a dozen years in food distribution, and six years in government. “I’ve worked hard all my life.” Foster said he had turned down a good job last summer in order to run for mayor. He concluded, “Put away your mud slinging, George, and put away your axe.”
But one resident standing near the press table noted, “He didn’t answer the question.”
It was that kind of night, with feelings running strong and partisanship running high.
Another resident questioned Foster about his council attendance record, stating he had checked the minutes and Foster had missed 10 meetings since January.
“How can we be assured your attendance would be improved as mayor?” the resident asked.
Foster said he missed two meetings, and attended all the budget meetings. He said once he was at a conference, and missed one meeting due to illness. “I can’t be in two places at once,” Foster said.
But the resident was not accepting that answer, and replied, “I suggest to you we can’t believe much of what you say.”
Elora resident Brenda Day asked Foster why he had opposed the two Centre Wellington Fire Departments collecting for Muscular Dystrophy at their annual toll.
Foster denied strongly that he had voted against those approvals, and said he has always supported the fire departments, and has moved and seconded that they be allowed to conduct their tolls.
Day responded that she does not want to meet privately with Foster one on one, and told him to stop telephoning her.
Ross-Zuj came under some tough questioning as well, but those were mainly about services and township operations.
A Sideroad 19 resident wanted to know why a sewage hook-up there was costing over $20,000 when many years ago it would have cost only $1,700. The road has been under construction for several months.
Ross-Zuj said she knows some residents were opposed to the work on that road, but the Ministry of Environment was very close to ordering that the work be done. So, when the township received a grant to cover half the cost of the work, council accepted it.
She said that when the township rebuilt South Street in Elora several years ago, there was no choice and residents there were forced to connect to municipal services. All residents had to disconnect their wells, too. She noted she was forced to do that, but residents on Sideroad 19 have the option to connect.
Foster said of the big increase, “Inflation takes its toll, and things go up.”
Another resident from that road asked Ross-Zuj why she refused to hold a public meeting with those residents to consider their hook-up assessments.
Ross-Zuj responded that the amounts are different for each homeowner, and she has to respect the privacy laws. She was willing to discuss the issues separately with residents.
Another resident asked Ross-Zuj how frugal she was being when she and several councillors attended a conference in Quebec City and stayed at an expensive hotel there.
Ross-Zuj said the county allows each councillor to attend three conferences a year, and she attended the one in Quebec for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. She said such attendance is “part of my duties.”
A resident asked Foster and Ross-Zuj if they would meet over the issue of termites in Fergus and Elora, and she wanted “leadership” on the issue.
Foster said he would like to see the building department get involved, and he wants to make sure the science is correct. He added people should avoid stacking firewood against their homes and stop using wood mulch, which is “caviar” to termites.
Ross-Zuj said the township will be sending information through coming hydro bills.
She has been working with MP Michael Chong on the issue because Americans can use pesticides that Canadians are not permitted to use. She said she would like to get rid of the termites rather than just “mask the problems.
Both agreed they would meet with residents.
A farmer told Ross-Zuj that rural areas feel forgotten. He said milk trucks now buck snowbanks when they used to have clear roads in old Nichol township.
Ross-Zuj said amalgamation brought some problems, including 407km of roads and 105 bridges. She said the roads department has set priorities for roads, but if there are problems people should call and complain.
“I have not received a lot of information on this,” she added.
Foster said, “We fumbled the ball on rural road maintenance” and then added the township spending priorities are wrong. “We need to do a better job.”
One resident said his tax bill was high in 2008, and increased by 12.5% in 2008, and another 15.37% in 2010. He said he called the municipal office, was told to contact the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, and they told him to call the municipal office.
He told Foster “You said you would cut taxes. I’m interested in that.”
Foster denied he promised a tax cut. He said he would spend more wisely and use the extra money to pay down debt.
He also told the man he has the right to appeal his MPAC assessment, and noted, “They do make mistakes.”
Current councillors appeared to be annoyed at Foster’s charges of poor spending choices.
Fred Morris and Walt Visser, strongly defended the current council’s record.
County councillor-elect Shawn Watters attended and spoke at the meeting and he strongly praised the strong council team, naming all of the current councillors except Foster.
“They worked their butts off,” Watters said, adding he hopes people “won’t throw them under the bridge.”
Ross-Zuj concluded by stating that people had heard “a number of unsubstantiated statements” from some of the candidates, and that the township does not have a spending problem. She said there has been no debt increase in the last four years, and when it comes to controlling taxes, “We’re getting there.”
She explained again that the borrowing next year for the Elora sewage treatment plant and the Fergus water tower are health issues and must be completed, but the debt for that “You will not be seeing on your tax bill.” That debt will be paid by development charges.
Foster told the audience that as warden, there have been big spending projects from the county that they have paid for, such as a roundabout.
He said as mayor he would work to see that spending is done more efficiently.
“It’s time to change it up,” he concluded.
