Rob Potter — Blue Mountains councillor
I am Rob Potter and I’m a candidate for councillor in The Blue Mountains. I serve on council now, having been appointed June 29, to fill a vacancy on council.
My background is primarily in the community newspaper business as editor of the Courier-Herald and its predecessor, the Valley Courier, for a total of about 28 years. I have also worked in municipal government, filling in as communications and economic development co-ordinator for The Blue Mountains in 2009-2010.
I have a long and varied history in community service including being founding president of the Marsh Street Centre, a member of the steering committee that brought the Craigleith Heritage Depot project to fruition, and serving on several municipal committees including the CAUSE program, the Sustainable Path steering committee and the attainable housing committee in its early years. I’ve also been involved in Thornbury Community Theatre, minor sports, Relay for Life and others.
My professional and volunteer works have taken me to every corner of The Blue Mountains and allowed me opportunities to engage with people in all sectors.
I am running for council because I believe my background and experience will serve the citizens of our community well as we move into a challenging term. There are lots of issues to deal with including:
• Improving communications so that the public receive information early in the process and have a full understanding of what the town is planning and how it will be carried out and funded.
• A new approach to economic development, that supports not only the existing agricultural and tourism sectors but encourages new opportunities.
• A major effort to diversify our housing stock with a view to making attainable housing available for young workers and young families at rents and prices they can afford.
• Protecting our shoreline from any effort to “urbanize” Highway 26 by widening it.
Contact me at PO Box 365, Thornbury, Ont., N0H 2P0, or , or at . My website is