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Councillor’s Corner - April 4th, 2018
Hello Hornepayners. Well spring is in the air. I was out for my first jog of the season, right on April Fool’s Day, and that’s no joke!
There was a new release on January 23, 2018 at 9:00 am that the Ontario Government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, was releasing funds for Mainstreet Revitalization this news release was published in the January 31, 2018 issue of the Wicksteed Weekly.
Then on the February 14th issue in the Councillor’s Corner I mentioned Mainstreet Revitalization Funds that have been allotted to municipalities, and from that article the quote “Hornepayne will receive just over $36,000 for downtown improvements.” So yes, although there are funds allotted for our community there is a process that we as a council need to complete to receive the funds. There has not been any council discussion that I know of for the utilization of these funds. Our next council meeting is tonight at 6pm and I will inquire further about the process and how we will go about receiving and utilizing these funds.
On a second note: This year is an election year for municipalities and as promised I want to take you through the process as I learn myself of what you must do to run in the election. The official date is May 1st before you can publicly announce your intention and get your nomination forms in. In our community there are four councillor positions and one mayor position. Personally, being on council has been one of the best experiences in my life. I would encourage you to think about running and get informed. There is still plenty of time to attend meetings and get up to speed before fall elections. As I have mentioned in previous councillor’s corners there are books available and material to learn about the entire process. Books that have helped me the most while on council are from the Municipal World Collection, I have lent five of these books to our local Public Library and you are welcome to borrow them.
· Run & Win, By Brian H. Clark is a great resource about the election process.
· Guide to Good Municipal Governance By C. Richard Tindal and Susan Nobes Tindal
· Making a Difference: Cuff’s Guide for Municipal Leaders Volume 1 by George B. Cuff
· Making a Difference: Cuff’s Guide for Municipal Leaders Volume 2 by George B. Cuff
· Ontario’s Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, A Handbook by M. Rick O’Connor and George H. Rust-D’eye
Of course, our municipal office is the best resource to learn and get guidance and the staff at the office will be happy to help you. Get involved by running yourself or be a cheerleader for someone else. Being on council can be very challenging and you will need support from friends and family.
On final note, I would like to encourage our drivers to take notice of walkers, joggers and children on bikes, please be aware of water puddles and be courteous not to splash people and just slow down. The joggers and walkers on the highway just a friendly reminder to wear clothing that is highly visible. We can all work together for the safety of our community. Looking forward to seeing your smiling faces as outdoor jogging season is here, it was refreshing to get out and move.
Have a great week and hopefully I see some you at our meeting tonight. As always you are always welcome to attend council meetings, or you can approach any of the council or mayor with inquires.
Happy to serve you and be a part of making our community a great place to live and create a legacy.
Sincerely,
Councillor Cheryl Fort