Campaign's End

By now you've received your mail-in voting form and may have already sent it in. It's time now to hang up my skates for this political season and give us both a break. Time to walk through the forest, enjoy the sunny weather, and watch the leaves fall.

It was a real pleasure to meet the great majority of you. Especial thanks for sheltering me from the rain in your homes and cottages. I discovered much kind consideration on the campaign trail. Maybe this shouldn't be surprising, but I never knew for sure what sort of reception would be on your side of the door.

I started on the campaign trail with an open mind and let you tell me what you wanted. Your words are quoted on this website in the Seguin Quotes section. Your words became my basic political platform:

• Clean Lakes
  
• Safe Roads
  
• Pro Business
  

If elected, I will continue our conversation with a town hall style meeting held every three months to discuss Seguin politics. I will continue to listen and learn from you. The Ward 1 town hall meeting was an idea that came out of my conversations with you. May town hall meetings be adopted by other councillors to get up-to-date feedback from their constituents. Feedback is essential to learn how to fix problems and make improvements. If this democratic tradition were established and maintained many of the problems of the past could be avoided in future.

If elected, I will continue to use this blog to communicate with you about Seguin politics. If not elected, this will be my last One Seguin blog post. Thank you for your interest.

Have a fine Thanksgiving weekend.

All Candidates Meeting

Many thanks to the Otter Lake Ratepayers' Association for hosting the All Candidates Meeting on September 25th at the Foley Agricultural Hall.

To read a report on the event, click on the link of Cameron Ginn's article appearing on the Cottage Country Now website.

Know the Candidates

Your mail-in ballots are on the way or have already arrived. Make sure you mail it before October 15th to be counted.

This blog should give you a good idea of who I am and my political platform. I realize now that the theme of One Seguin is 'Community and Communication'. If I am elected, I will continue to use this website to inform you of Seguin council business and my activities as councillor.

The other Ward 1 candidates are Dale Graves and Alex Chidley. I don't believe these two gentlemen have campaign websites. The best source I have found for on-line information about Mr. Childey is available at http://www.cottagecountrynow.ca/ (search 'Alex Chidley'). I have found no on-line information about Mr. Graves. I understand Mr. Graves is a long time resident of Seguin, but that is all.

On September 25th, from 1-4 pm, the Otter Lake Ratepayers Association is hosting an all Seguin candidates meeting at the Foley Agricultural Hall. I'll be there to give a short speech and answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to say 'hi' and talk with me after the meeting - most things take longer than (the official) one minute to discuss.

There will be another all candidates meeting held on October 2nd in the Humphrey Community Centre. This meeting will also begin at 1 pm. [THIS MEETING WAS CANCELLED].

Hope to see you there!

The Tree Cutting By-Law (First Draft)

After months of searching, I've finally found a copy of the Seguin Tree Cutting by-law as originally written, the first draft.

This is the proposed Seguin legislation that caused a near riot of public protest. It's safe to say that in the absence of the civic revolt, the by-law (shown below) would have passed as is. This is the most commonly referred to incident by Ward 1 voters during my campaign.

I cannot express the amount of on-going anger and distrust directed at Seguin council as a result of this document.

I won't comment on the content of the proposed by-law, but I feel that it was such a defining document and moment in the history of Seguin Township that it needs to be available on the Internet for all to consider and understand.

It is presented below in page order ('click' on image for larger view).

page 1

page 2

page 3

page 4

page 5

page 6

page 7

page 8

page 9

The final version which council passed is available on the Seguin township website here.

My Town Hall Meetings

I believe 'town hall' meetings are a very important means of creating and maintaining an active political community. It provides a forum for discussing on-going and emerging local issues.

If I am elected as Seguin's Ward 1 councillor, I will host political 'town hall' meetings in the Foley Activity Centre every three months of my term. The dates will be kept regular and advertised on this website. Admission would, of course, be free.

The town halls would include...

• An introductory 5 - 10 minute report from me about council business since the previous town hall, up-coming council meeting business, on-going issues, and emerging issues.

• A free flow discussion where people are encouraged to express their ideas or concerns about Ward 1 in particular and Seguin in general. Participants may direct their comments or questions to me as councillor, to other attendees, or simply to the group.

• The main event of each town hall will feature a specific Seguin issue for discussion - identifying problems, generating ideas, exploring options, offering solutions.

• Finally, I will do a brief wrap-up summary of what was discussed, highlighting the main points influencing my council decisions. I will still make my own decision on every issue. However, your timely facts and arguments will give me the best possible foundation on which to decide.
  

The purpose of these town halls is to provide civic interaction for all people living or cottaging in Ward 1. You will help guide my decisions in council as a direct result of the best facts and arguments provided by you, as well as consider the various viewpoints of others in our community.

This high level of civic involvement has never occurred before in Seguin. This is my style of politics.

I want people in Ward 1 to get more directly involved in Seguin's political culture. I want you to have a real forum to give voice to your opinions and ideas - not just with a single vote every four years. This is the means for us to express ourselves, listen, and hopefully learn from one another. Let's talk.

I think this is necessary and the best way forward. I hope it will become an everlasting Seguin tradition.

The Foley Fall Fair

Come one, come all to the 2010 Foley Fall Fair!

Today is the opening of this traditional Seguin fair held on the Foley Agricultural Society grounds.

I regret to report that there will be no Smash-Up Derby this year. But there will be tractor pulls, so that's not too bad.

In case I've missed you on the campaign trail, please come on by and say 'hi' at the Pioneer Church's quilt raffle table on Saturday afternoon. I'll be there moving raffle tickets.

Horseshoe Lake Blue-Green Algae Alert

The municipal beach on Horseshoe Lake, Seguin.

It's a dark day for Horseshoe Lake as a blue-green algae bloom alert is released by the Ministry of Environment (MOE). A 'no drink, no swim' warning is in effect for an undetermined period of time.

While no toxic levels have been recorded, the algae bloom may become toxic. It is therefore advised to use caution. If algae bloom becomes toxic a rash may develop on exposed skin (see links below for more detailed information).

This afternoon the Horseshoe Lake Association Executive is meeting in the Seguin Council chamber for action planning. The association's news link is...

http://www.horseshoelakeassociation.ca/news.htm

Seguin township's Kelly Krist stated today that she will post updates on the algae bloom situation on their website as information comes on the following web page...

http://www.twp.seguin.on.ca/1071/blue-green_algae_bloom.htm

Also find related government links below...

http://www.twp.seguin.on.ca/docs/Public%20Notices/HU_News_Release.pdf

http://www.twp.seguin.on.ca/docs/Public%20Notices/HU_BGA_Information.pdf

http://www.twp.seguin.on.ca/docs/Public%20Notices/MOE_BGA_Information.pdf