Candidates square off in debate

By Karen Best

Wednesday, November 01, 2006 - 05:00
Dunnville Chronicle

Candidates for Ward 5 and 6 in Dunnville talked about their platforms last week and answered questions in front of a crowd of 180 residents.

Hosted by the Dunnville Chamber of Commerce, the meeting was an opportunity for rural Dunnville councillor candidates Marylou Lovegrove, Don Ricker and Mike Walker to meet voters. Joining them were Ward 6 candidates Lorne Boyko and Wilfred Marlowe.

Marylou Lovegrove said she wanted to provide a strong voice for Ward 5 over the four-year term of council.

Available full time for the job, she is currently president of the chamber and a member of the Dunnville Revitalization Task Force. She has also served on the Dunnville Agriculture Society board.

Economic development is important and is growing in Dunnville where large company’s are showing an interest in setting up shop, she said.

Related property tax revenue will reduce the tax burden on homeowners, she added.

She supports Wal-Mart and collected a list of supporters on a petition.

Lovegrove said council could accomplish more if power struggles ceased.

In the Caledonia native land dispute, she said she believes the provincial and federal government were showing no respect for law.

All levels of government should use tax dollars effectively rather than throwing it around like confetti, she said. She also wanted better snow removal for drifts on Ward 5 roads.

Ricker has nine years of municipal councillor experience plus decades of experience in small business and volunteer firefighting.

He wanted to see a pothole policy to ensure fast and good repairs and recreation improvements including trail development.

Ricker said a fire consultant report showed that projected savings did not support closing any fire halls.

Ricker suggested looking at development applications on an individual basis to fast track development. He also wanted to see Port Maitland developed as a tourist attraction, a local SPCA, a Lowbanks community centre and more drain maintenance. When Wal-Mart opens, downtown will need support to revitalize, he said.

Mike Walker, who has operated Mohawk Marina in Lowbanks since 1985, talked about the lack of basic services in rural areas including street lights and sidewalks in villages.

Despite this, lakeside property tax assessments skyrocketed, he said. With development coming on in Niagara, he suggested residential development will grow in the Dunnville area. 

Wal-Mart will bring in people from the east, he said.

He suggested the county seek more funding from Wal-Mart because Owen Sound received $500,000 from the company. Some of the increased property tax revenue should be funnelled downtown to allow merchants to reinvent it, he said.

Dunnville is going through a rebirth and a renaissance, said Lorne Boyko, who is seeking re-election in Ward 6. He pointed out construction of a 44-unit apartment building and 44 units in senior apartments at the hospital.

This residential boom not seen in town for 50 years is blowing away population forecasts, he said. Now Dunnville is on the leading edge of growth with Wal-Mart coming in and more housing coming on Cross Street.

When he pushed for change, he said council accelerated a plan for roads and water systems to support future development.

He helped the existing large employer, Bicks, by working with staff to cut water rate increase costs by $1.5 million in five years.

He said he was proud to chair the redevelopment committee that provided input on the $24-million resident wings at Grandview Lodge.

For over two years, Boyko discussed Wal-Mart’s arrival in town with the company’s developers. When dealings with the BIA fell through, he brokered a deal in the best interests of the community to bring a $30-million store to town and 250 jobs, he said.

Wilfred Marlowe, who is challenging Boyko, said people have expressed dissatisfaction with council by becoming activists and presenting petitions on issues. Public servants should have respect for citizens, he said.

If council asked, they would have learned the people did not want to sell Haldimand County Hydro, saving the county more than $250,000, he said. He said he expects council to treat residents with respect and to stop fighting and to work together.

The county could have avoided the Caledonia subdivision occupation by denying development on a land claim area, said Marlowe. There is no legal reason to stop Wal-Mart which is no different than any other department store, he said.

On the Dunnville autodrome, Marlowe said that berms cannot be erected on the federally-recognized airport and it’s up to the operator to file the outstanding noise report before the zoning application can proceed.

In closing statements, Marlowe said the will of the public is the foundation of government and that he would represent the county by sitting beside, not above, constituents.

Marlowe said he understands his constituents and could represent them responsibly.

Boyko said he was at the front lines of the Caledonia situation even on Victoria Day, when the lights went out.

He described this as the most significant issue in the county and one that council cannot resolve.

Even so he said he is active at the Caledonia, Ontario and federal liaison table where negotiation updates are provided.

He said he has lobbied to keep the Nanticoke coal generation plant open and has lobbied ministers on other issues.

Boyko said he believes in transparent representation and public participation in solutions, which is why he opposed the closed-door approach to the utility sale.