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Bill Meridis wants to be a strong voice for all Midland residents

Midland council hopeful says town doesn't give its citizens a voice when it comes to issues that affect them
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Bill Meridis is running for Midland council.

Editor's note: MidlandToday has asked council candidates in Midland, Penetanguishene and Tiny Township to provide a synopsis of why they are running for public office. Municipal elections take place Oct. 24.

The following response is from Bill Meridis, who is running for council in Midland. For more election coverage, visit our 2022 municipal election page by clicking here, where you can find candidate profiles and other election news.

What is your name, what will be your age on election day, and who are your key immediate family members you rely on for support?

Bill Meridis, 52 years of age and greatly supported by my immediate and extended family.

In 10 words or less, why is your municipality the best in the province?

The Beauty of Georgian Bay and all it has to offer.

What prompted you to run as a municipal leader?

Born and raised in Midland and have been in and around the business community for most of my life I believe now is the time to step up and face the challenges that lie ahead with a strong voice for all Midland residents.

Midland Bay Landing is mired in controversy, involving contaminated land, residents wanting to protect parkland, developer visions for the future, and the municipality’s choice for that developer. What is your stance on Midland Bay Landing?

Because of all the unknowns and the apparent secrecy of Midland Bay Landing it is hard to answer this question. I believe the people have a right to know what is happening. There is an apparent distrust with the town and the MBL board on this issue and until there is full disclosure, along with an engaged community we can come to some compromise as to what the landscape of MBL will look like.

You will be asked to join committees and other municipal representations. Which are you eager to become involved in?

BIA, Midland Bay Landing.

Voter apathy is always a concern, ranging between 25.7% to 42% of ballots cast across North Simcoe in the last municipal election. Knowing you could be elected without even half of possible voters turning out, what will you do to combat voter apathy so your municipality is best represented?Voter apathy is always an issue when you have the same results term after term. I believe In  the past, Midland’s citizens have gotten discouraged with the same old same old cliché and  don’t believe that even if they voted there will be a change. I think come this October you will  see a spike in voter turnout judging by the number of candidates running for office 

There are many prominent concerns ongoing in the region, from affordable housing to the opioid epidemic to short-term rentals as well as others. What is one concern that you think the majority of residents are not aware of?

The biggest concern most residents are not aware of is how little of a voice they have. We have what I call Deputation Suppression where there is a large list of criteria that do not qualify you to speak in front of council. We also may think we have a voice, and the town does a great job in disguising this by having public forums to engage the residents for their input but in the end, these are smokescreens to lead you to believe they are listening but then continue with their own agenda with disregard towards its citizens.

The province is planning for a population of 555,000 and 198,000 jobs by 2051. If now is the time to prepare for that influx, what will you proactively do as your part in the process?

With cities to the south of us putting pressure on smaller communities creating a decrease of affordable housing, we need to look at our neighbouring communities to loosen building restrictions to create an influx of available land and increase the housing supply to make houses affordable.

Recidivism isn’t just on the police and courts. As a municipal leader and crafter of bylaws, what initiatives will you undertake to address crime in your care?

Re-offending criminals continue to inhabit our surrounding communities and bylaws are not going to solve this problem but rather put a Band-Aid on it. We need to work with our OPP and provincial governments to find concrete solutions to solve this issue. 

Infrastructure projects require taxpayer dollars. What infrastructure project does the municipality desperately need, and does it justify a tax increase from the ratepayers to have it done as soon as possible?

The biggest infrastructure needing immediate attention is our sewage treatment plant which  continues to dump sewage into Georgian bay when its capacity is overloaded. We need a solid  plan to remediate this issue. This doesn’t justify a tax increase but better management of  taxpayer dollars.

Times change. What is the most aged or obsolete bylaw in your municipality’s code?

As far as bylaw’s go, they were put in for a reason at some point in time and it is not up to me to comment whether it would be obsolete but rather to deal with these types of issues when its relevant with our community. 

Once you complete your four-year term, what is the legacy you want residents to best remember for your time in office?

After my four-year term I hope to have had a positive role in changing the way we operate and do business within the town of Midland, to gain the trust that our citizens deserve and allow every citizen a voice, which rightfully they deserve.