Tom Guthrie — Penetanguishene councillor
Born and raised in Midland, I attended Midland Secondary School. Thirty-seven years ago I moved to Penetanguishene to get married and raise a family. I have three grown children and five grandchildren. I have worked in Manufacturing for 37 years and currently hold a lead hand position. Over the years I have been involved in contract negotiations and currently sit on a pension and benefit committee.
The reason I am running in this upcoming election is that I would like to see a change with new direction and fresh ideas. I believe we need to improve on the services we offer to the residents of Penetanguishene and prepare for the future. Some of the issues that I would like to work on if elected include:
Infrastructure: I would like to see additional funds put toward our road network. I would like to see a plan in place to see more funds allocated to resurface more roads that are not scheduled for major reconstruction in the next 15 to 20 years.
Affordable Housing: I would like to see the town invest in housing for seniors and residents whose income doesn’t allow them to find alternative housing. Penetanguishene’s population is aging and people who live here may want to downsize from their current home to something more manageable but allow them to retain their independence.
Transit: I first off want to commend our current council for the implementation of the transit system. I would like to ensure that this program is a success and that we build on it for the future by reaching out to the ridership to find out where we can improve.
Parks and recreation: Address any safety concerns, adding new playground equipment to dated or under serviced parks. Set aside funds for future ice rink.
These are some of the main reasons why I seek a position on council.
Tom Guthrie