As Ward councillors faced a number of questions by local residents, some were repeat questions from the week prior, but others offered new twists to the issues as some questions were posed to candidates in more than one ward.
Ward 1
Are you in favour of keeping Wellington North Power or selling it?
Incumbent councillor Dan Yake is in favour of keeping the local utility.
Yake explained that the township has held several discussions about whether to sell or keep it or sell it.
Council of the day decided to keep it, a decision he agrees with.
Ward 1 candidate Shawn McLeod also favoured retention of the utility.
“I think its a good idea to keep it. The more control we have locally, we all know what happens when you lose control and it goes off to a higher level of government.
Candidate Derek Bridgwater also considered the utility a great local resource.
What would you do to attract more industry to Wellington North?
“We need to keep people in the community,” Bridgwater said.
They are a great resource, and having people hear will attract industry.
But, he said, the township also needs to go out and do a better job in its economic development.
McLeod believed the economic development committee is working hard toward that goal.
But he also suggested that good communication between it and council is the answer.
Yake said the first step is making certain the township has the infrastructure in place to support industry – whether it is water, sewer, better roads, or a fire department.
“Businesses look at that when they come to a community, and it is important that we put that in place.”
He believes council has done that.
Ward 2
Are you in favour of keeping Wellington North Power or selling it?
Candidate Steven Leask said “absolutely keep it.”
He suggested there may be ways to make the bills a “bit easier on our pockets.”
Candidate Ron Forrest agreed.
“We must keep the power here and we must control it.”
At the same time, he hoped there was a means to reduce the rates for the public.
Candidate Sherry Burke saw the need to keep the utility.
“You don’t sell an asset.”
Have you any ideas how to make the amalgamated Wellington North feel like one community rather than several?
Burke said that right now some people feel there is more than one community.
“I think through better communication with the taxpayers from the newly elected council might help bring them together.”
Leask said, “It [amalgamation] is here and we need to face that fact.”
Although the ward he is running for is in the north of the municipality, he said he has connections and ties to the south.
He believes improved transportation could assist in unifying the communities as well as events which bring people together.
“I don’t really see a border in my mind.”
Forrest commented that Arthur is the gateway to Wellington North.
While he realizes that there is a dividing line, he believes it is getting closer to fading away.
He said there has been an inter-town rivalry, “but I can see it changing.”
He pointed to how students are getting along at the high school.
Ward 3
What is your stance on the windmill issue?
Candidate Lisa Hern said the wind energy issue is legislated by the Green Energy Act.
On one side, she said windmills do represent an income opportunity for those struggling in farming.
But, on the other side, Hern said “It pits neighbour against neighbour. It destroys the cohesiveness that is so loved in our rural community.”
Yet, Hern saw a third side to the issue in that there are potential health concerns which need to be investigated.
Therefore, she recommended Wellington North hold a moratorium on future proposals until there is an in-depth held study.
“I think that even if you wanted them on your own property, you wouldn’t want them if you thought they were going to make you sick.”
Candidate Mark Goetz agreed. “We surely don’t know enough information about this.”
He said there are studies both for and against the turbines, but there is high maintenance of them in the future.
That is why he, too, believes more information is needed “to find out the real truth.”
Candidate Kevin Bodz agreed that windmills seem to be a big concern.
“The simple fact is that in Denmark, they’re still not positive it was a good return on their investment.”
He believed more information is needed before jumping ahead.
Would you keep the ward system the way it is?
Bodz was ready to keep the ward system the way it is.
“People are finally realizing what ward they are in.”
Goetz said people need to be kept informed what ward they are in – not just at election time.
Hern favoured the wards, but said there is confusion in this area because of the similarity of ward names for both the local municipality and the county wards.
Wellington North might be unique in that between the two levels of government it has two areas called Ward 3 and Ward 4 – although the boundaries for those areas are not the same.
Hern suggested a different name such as District 3.
As to the local boundaries, there might be some validity to having the urban and rural areas within their own wards, “but it is just a thought,” she said.
Ward 4
The issue of the proposed limestone quarry in Monck adjacent to also surfaced as candidates were asked whether or not they supported the proposal.
Incumbent John Matusinec said that for him, the matter is actually before the Ontario Municipal Board right now, and sitting as a member of council he cannot really comment on it right now.
“That said, I will say if it had support of the present council it would not be at the OMB at this time.”
Candidate Andy Lennox was quite aware of the issue.
“I do care deeply about our environment. The Luther Marsh is a very important part of our community.”
At the same time, he cares about economic development, and aggregate extraction is part of that.
“I don’t have all the information on this particular issue, but I will commit to looking up the information, and it comes back to council, making an informed decision at that time.”
Candidate George Johnstone said that the issue has been going on for quite a while so there must be both good and bad points to the proposal.
“It would have to be looked in deeper for me to make my own judgement.”
Candidate Barry Dishart agreed the environment is to be protected, “but at the same time the economy has to grow and these aggregates are necessary for the future.”
How would you represent us on the issue of the windmills and cell towers?
Dishart said he’d like to see the outcome of a meeting being held at the end of this month in Picton, where the wind turbine issue is going to be discussed.
“The proof is not in the pudding yet.”
He would like to see the research from Holland and Denmark which do have the wind turbines for a number of years.
“Right now we’re speculating on everything.”
Johnstone said “We have to do whatever we can as council, and as citizens to prevent any more windfarms from going in until it is proven they are safe and that the expense is justified.”
Lennox said that on one hand, people are very much in favour of green energy, but it is very divisive to the rural community.
“That is why I am against them. I believe our rural community does not need more things to divide us.”
But, he said it is a provincial issue, “and unfortunately, largely out of municipal hands.”
“I’d be in favour of sending a signal to developers that I’m not in favour of them.”
Matusinec suggested the coalition against windfarms is like a double-edged sword.
“Nobody wants them in their backyard, and I would be one of those people.”
He believes the provincial Green Energy plan is flawed.
He pointed to the issue that people will be paying premium money for that energy.
Matusinec pointed out that council did take a hard look at the proposals which did come before them.
He said there were considerable delays, “while in Wellington North, we pretty much wrote the rules for windfarms in Wellington County.”
“That said, I’m not a proponent of wind farms. They should be in non-populated areas.
