Tony Veltri — New Tecumseth mayor
Since 325 words don’t allow for in depth platform pronouncements, I’ll get right to it. Within the first 100 days of taking office, I will ask council to support several measures that will immediately take us on a new course. They include:
— Stopping any further progress on the $15 million new administration centre. I am opposed to draining reserves by $7 million and adding at least $8 million in long-term debt that can only be financed by taxes, to pay for it. I will ask for all options to be investigated.
— I will ask council to reaffirm the town’s opposition to the 15,000 unit Cappuccitti/Mattamy proposal between Alliston and Beeton and send it to Simcoe County and the OMB. The incumbent mayor is the only consistent supporter of this application.
— I will ask council to support changing council meeting nights to Wednesdays because Mondays are inefficient, don’t leave time for public scrutiny of agendas, and are interrupted by holidays. Since the meeting format change in March 2017, council has held approximately 30 “special meetings” attached to the regular agenda. That means they don’t meet enough, which creates inefficient delays in decision-making and takes the public out of the mix.
— I will ask support for the reintroduction of standing committees, particularly planning, including public representation and not merely as an advisory board. Standing committees allow the public to be involved from the beginning. It’s a means of taking control back from developers, who’ve had a good run of the place for long enough.
— I will ask council to support ending any further intrusion by Simcoe County into our water and wastewater infrastructure, as well insist New Tecumseth directs where new growth occurs.
— I will not sign-off on the Briar Hill water connection deal as negotiated behind closed doors. And, I will move fast-tracking the pipeline connection to Tottenham.
-More that can be said, but I’m out of space. for full details.
Tony Veltri