ELORA – Although it sounded a bit like a campaign speech, Mayor Kelly Linton says he hasn’t decided whether he’ll run again in the October municipal election.
Linton was the keynote speaker at the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce breakfast on Jan. 26 and his speech “Four lies and a truth” outlined the accomplishments the township has made during his eight years as mayor.
But in answer to a pointed question on whether he’s planning to run again, Linton said it’s a big question that involves discussion with his family.
“I haven’t made a decision on that,” he said.
He did encourage others to consider running for a council seat in the election, however. And that brought him to his one truth.
“The truth is we need good local leaders,” he said.
“We need leaders who are motivated by action. I would ask folks to consider running for office.”
Linton said politicians need to talk less and act more and certainly during an election campaign, talk is cheap.
“Politicians will tell us whatever they think we want to hear,” Linton said. “But what you do is so much more important than what you say.”
Linton said he’s heard four often repeated lies during his terms in office and he spent his speaking time debunking them.
The first: Heritage and Elora and Fergus downtowns are under attack.
Linton compared photos of downtown Elora from 2014 with photos he took last summer as proof that not only are the downtowns not under attack, they are thriving thanks to some private and public investments.
He listed the restored Elora Mill, new sidewalks and streetlights on Mill Street East, and the new Badley Bridge and Jack R. MacDonald pedestrian bridge among the many improvements done in Elora with heritage in mind.
Fergus did not require the same level of rebuilding, but “it has never looked better, and the potential is staggering,” he said.
“We’ve been laser-focussed on improving our downtowns and they are in much better shape than 2014.”
Lie number 2: New jobs and investment will happen automatically with residential growth.
“That’s not true,” Linton said. “If we want good, well-paying jobs [in Centre Wellington], we have to take action.”
Linton lauded staff and councillors for their vision and support of the North Fergus Business Park currently under construction on Dickson Drive.
Interest in purchasing lots is strong, Linton said, and he expects the project to be completed and sold out in the next couple of years.
As well, the economic development task force has been working on removing barriers for businesses wanting to open shop here.
Lie number 3: You can have it all – zero tax increase and new bridges.
“Well, that’s just not true” he said.
Linton said a consultant report early in his first term suggested Centre Wellington would have to increases taxes 4.9 per cent every year till 2030 to be able to look after its current assets, never mind consider something new.
Instead, in 2015 the township added a bridge levy to the local tax bill and while the levy has increased by 2 per cent each year, the rest of the tax bill has largely remained in check.
And by having a fund exclusively for bridge repairs, the township has been able to repair or rebuild 21 bridges in eight years versus repairing just five bridges in the eight years from 2007 to 2014.
Lie number four: You’ve got to be a squeaky wheel to get what you want.
Linton said he wants to hear from constituents, but the squeaky wheel approach really signals a failure of leadership.
“The squeaky wheel itself is not the problem; the issue is when that’s the leadership approach,” he said.
“There’s an expectation that local leadership will do what they were elected to do.
“No decision is made simply to appease those who squeak the loudest.”
Centre Wellington has avoided that by developing a strategic plan and tying the budget to the plan, developing strong community engagement, and staying the course and avoiding knee-jerk decisions, he said.
On a question on growth, Linton said it can’t be avoided.
“It can’t be stopped; it just can’t,” Linton said.
“How we grow is probably the number one challenge in Centre Wellington. That’s why we need local leaders not to over-promise.
“I invite you to run for council. We really want the best and the brightest at the table.”
