Budget Survey/Strategic Plan

Exciting stuff is going on at your local government. First, if you have not received a “Budget Survey”, watch for it in the mail. We are looking for your ideas and direction as we head into budget talks on March 27, 2017 at 1pm. This will be our first preliminary budget meeting for 2017 and of course you are welcome to attend. The survey is a step in the right direction for you to get your voice and ideas into the conversation. You are encouraged to fill out the survey so that the ideas can be collected before our meeting. Secondly, the HEDC and the Nordik Institute presented the Draft Strategic Plan at the last council meeting. I am eager to finally get the finished document in the coming weeks. The presentation by Gayle Broad, and Elizabeth McMillan of the Nordik Institute and Stacey Rendell of the HEDC was refreshing in my opinion. It gives us a path that we can move toward. The vision; “to develop a self-reliant and resilient community that can adapt and withstand adverse conditions and thrive” definitely needs to be embraced for us to grow and survive. We are starting to move forward and thinking of new ways to add substance to Hornepayne. Change is the only way we are going to grow. What does change look like? It could look like; strengthening local government, homesteading, new businesses, youth retention initiatives, accessibility for everyone, increased tourism opportunities, and business growth. Thirdly, this coming week is the Ontario Good Roads Conference in Toronto. You can see the agenda and learn about this event at http://ograconference.ca/. This will be an opportunity for me to learn about asset management and to network on your behalf. Stuff is happening. We are moving forward one step at a time.

Working for you,

Cheryl T Fort