Mayoral candidates – Week 3
Kevin Baldwin
An “X” should be marked by my name because I am concerned about the increasing debt our town has been incurring. Since 1999
I have been working as a Real Estate agent. I have watched developers come into town and leave with a lot more money in their pockets than they left behind. What they have left behind are unfinished communities in which you, the citizens of Strathmore have had to pay. Your taxes have increased and will increase again because the town has been, in affect, supplementing these developers.
In short, I believe that if the town worked more effectively with the developers, we would have the funds to develop our town appropriately.
In regards to “my name,” I have sold a lot of homes in Strathmore over the past 11 years. I have been asked many questions by potential homebuyers. Questions about our schools, health care, recreational facilities (private and public), safety, lot sizes, businesses, by-laws, off-leash pet areas, taxes and so much more. I have answered these questions with honesty and integrity. Many of these homebuyers have posted their testimonials on my website at www.kevinbaldwin.ca. These testimonials are references to my character and “my name”.
Mark an “X” by my name because I will serve this town with integrity, helping the taxpayers benefit. The developers are receiving the tax breaks and we as citizens of Strathmore are all bearing this burden. I want to put Strathmore’s citizens first.
Michael Ell
I have attended almost every Strathmore Council meeting in the past two years. I am the only person seeking election that attended council to prepare and learn about the key issues. Throughout this campaign, I have been actively engaging with Strathmore residents to find out how to best serve the people of this great town.
As your mayor, I will work with the new council to carefully manage our finances, work to avoid across the board tax increases/service reductions.
As your mayor, I will promote and support our existing businesses. Your mayor and council need to work together to create a partnership that ensures local business’s become stronger and more successful, providing jobs that generate a living wage, a future and a reason to stay and raise their families.
I will protect the wetlands and expand our parks and pathways to create new opportunities for camping and summer recreation. These recreational and protected areas will be the gem of our future and the gift we give our children.
I will work with our neighbours, the County and WID to leverage our government partners to improve the quality of life in Strathmore. Some of the joint opportunities include supporting affordable housing for seniors, prioritizing new recreational facilities and the support of community/arts groups.
I will support the citizen’s desire to fight the Highway realignment as proposed by the Provincial Government, to ensure only the best option for Strathmore is approved.
I have over forty years of work experience and training in accounting, finance, financial management, supervision/management, sales, administration and conflict resolution.
Glenn Freeland
When contacted by the Strathmore Times, Mr. Freeland declined the opportunity to leave a comment.
Steve Grajczyk
You should mark your X beside me because:
1) Availability; your mayor must be available and accessible during the day. I am retired and my family has grown up, making my evenings and weekends free.
2) I’m honest and open with no hidden agendas …I think honesty and openness is a key character of oneself.
3) Transparent; I’m giving up my real-estate license to avoid all conflicts of interest and I’m not doing this for the money.
4) I’m easy to talk to, yet I will stand up for the rights of our citizens.
5) Age brings knowledge, experience and trust … with my life’s traveling and 40 years in sales it has taught me how to deal with diverse and complicated situations. Plus I’ve gotten to know many people of various walks of life … ie politicians, developers, investors, and good down to earth people like yourselves. I’ve resided in this community for 33 years and have served a term on council in the early 1980’s.
6) Business skills: I owned and operated two small businesses in Strathmore and recently retired as manager of the Strathmore Ag society that had an approximate budget of two million dollars.
So in closing, why not vote for the mayor that truly cares about this community and has all the qualities you are looking for to propel Strathmore forward in it’s future vision? I truly love this community and I will be the one that will do the best for you!!! Thanks to everyone for listening and reading and see you on Oct 18th.
George Lattery
Was unavailable as of press time.
Brad Walls
As a lifetime citizen of the Strathmore area, I am the man who is running because I see the needs in the community from the perspective of a family man who loves the area and is proud to be raising a family here.
As a younger candidate, I have the energy and stamina to take what is deemed a part time position and make it my full time dedication – the community deserves a Mayor who always has his eye on the ball, looking for new options, ideas and solutions to the every day problems we face. I know that as Mayor I will have a team of people around me who have strengths where I do not and that as the team that runs this town, we need to work together and use everyone’s strengths and abilities as much as possible.
I am one of the citizens of Strathmore and the community is the reason I am running for Mayor – I want to remind the council daily, that we have to look at problems and solutions not just as a council but as tax payers who want to see that their money is well spent.
I believe that my background as a business professional will bring professionalism to the council and ensure that we are running the town as we would any business, with our eye on the budget and our finger on the pulse of the community knowing where the money needs to go and when we need to say no, or look at other opportunities and possibilities.
I care about your town, my town. Please vote.