Council Candidate Jim McPherson

Q1: Meaford is experiencing dynamic growth. How do you see ratepayers’ involvement in that growth? What role do you see the community playing in establishing the common direction and longer-term priorities?

We need to ensure that growth is seamless and it encompasses the sewage treatment plant which needs upgrades or replacement.  Without an improvement in sewer capacity we will incur serious limits to growth. Dynamic growth is wonderful, but we are severely restrained by this fact.  We must address this before we move forward and may have to curtail continued growth until we have done so.  We need to establish a committee to address this issue and see how the community feels about this expense and what options are most suitable for our community. 

Q2: Would you support the development of an active community-based Advisory Committee for planning and development?

When I was on Council, I chaired an active and well-functioning Development  and Advisory committee throughout 2006 to 2010. All the members who participated had a keen interest in planning and development.  I would welcome an advisory committee.  I believe committees are essential to good governance.

Q3: Currently, Meaford Council has just two Advisory Committees: Heritage and Accessibility. Prior to this current Council, there were seven advisory committees. Given that advisory committees facilitate public input into important matters, would you reinstate other advisory committees? And how would you ensure they are used effectively in the next term of Council?

Yes to embracing more committees and yes to effective committees.  You want to encourage participation.  And yes, Council must listen to these committees.  That's how you make them effective and that's how you encourage active community participation.

Q4: What is the role of Council and the Municipality in supporting the development of downtown Meaford? In rural areas? Please provide examples.

There was a time when Council had a chance to establish a style guide to development in the downtown.  Alas that time has passed.  It is now important for Council to remove the roadblocks to development and judge each development individually.  Overall, developers complain about the difficulty and delays in development, both rurally and in the downtown.  I hear over and over again from small and larger developers that there are too many roadblocks, too many expensive delays.  We need to look at what these roadblocks are and how to speed up the process. 

Q5: What role does Meaford’s “Official Plan” have in guiding development?

The Official Plan sets out the zoning for development. It shows what development is permissible and what is not.  Following this plan should ensure compatible and cherished development.  It's when the Municipality veers away from the plan that controversies and community upset occurs.

Q6: If a development project does not appear to meet Official Plan requirements (like the SkyDev proposal), what should Council do to ensure the project is in the best interest of Meaford and its citizens?

SkyDev is a development project gone awry.  Planning and Council should have received a detailed plan before rezoning these lands.  And it should have been developed under Direct Control designation.  Council and Staff must ensure timely response to developers, if they do not the developer can and will appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal and they will succeed.

Q7: Should Council members or municipal staff meet with developers prior to a development application being submitted? What is your understanding of them role in such meetings? Can you give us an example of what you would do in that position?

Yes, Staff and Council members should meet with developers, but never in the case of Council can they meet in a group of 4 or more.  Any member of Council should have staff present whenever they meet with a developer and if asked for commentary, they should just give overall impressions.  If a member of Council becomes a promoter of a project or proposal, then they must step back and exclude themselves from a vote of Council.  Council should never predetermine support or non-support before the development proposal meets the Council Table.  In the past, in a Planning and Advisory Committee with a developer, we suggested that there be commercial development of some sort and that they try to maintain the historic building.  And the developer brought a proposal forward with both of those elements included.

Q8: There are many issues that need to be addressed in the coming four-year term, including the TCE pumped energy project, affordable housing, job creation, the downtown heritage district, business development, climate change, tourism, and a host of infrastructure needs supporting agriculture, bridges, roads, water and sewer and urban green spaces. What, in your opinion, are the most urgent issues to address?

1. The Sewage Treatment Plant needs an overhaul.  This is the most pressing issue facing Council.  Without an upgrade or a new plant we will be facing a no growth scenario, ie. no development in business growth and a moratorium on all development.  It is a serious problem and must be addressed.  

2. Infrastructure funding MUST be increased.  And yes, we will have to find efficiencies and maybe cutbacks in other areas.

3. Agriculture is our primary industry.  If we improve our roads, this will help greatly.  We should eliminate whatever roadblocks we have that keep agricultural endeavours from thriving.

4. TCE will be an ongoing headache.  I believe the Council erred and we must correct this mistake.  

Q9: The TCE Pumped Storage Proposal will be decided by the federal government. What is your position on the project, and what role do you think the Meaford Council has as the project moves through approvals?

There are three avenues of addressing this project - one is the province who ultimately purchases the energy from the plant.  There is the federal government which, with the province, sees this as a "green" project - it is not.  Then there is the municipal aspect where Council has erred in calling us a willing host and this needs to be corrected.  Council does not get to negotiate with TCE, it is the Staff who will do this.  The Council will approve or not approve whatever conditions if the project goes forward.

Q10: As a member of Council, how will you work with local and county/regional partners and Meaford's CAO and staff to move the Municipality forward on the issues listed in Q8? Can you provide any examples?

At the county level, it is primarily the job of the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor to influence county policy.  We as a Council can influence the Mayor and Deputy Mayor on these matters.  Sometimes at Municipal Conferences and on other occasions we can influence County Council.  At the local level, we as a council can have open dialogue with Staff over the direction the municipality may take - we need only to put a resolution on the table at Council.  If the resolution passes the muster of Council then it can be freely debated and direction through the resolution can occur. In the past, I moved a resolution which was seconded and passed with unanimous support for a new library.  This is how direction from Council to Staff should work.