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 Brian Cummings, who is running for deputy mayor in Penetanguishene. 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?
My name is Brian Cummings. I am 67, married to Debbie and have 2 children and 2 grandchildren.
In 10 words or less, why is your municipality the best in the province?
Penetanguishene has beautiful landscape and is a small community.
What prompted you to run as a municipal leader?
I like to get involved with what goes on in our town and county, and there is no better way to do it.
You will be asked to join committees and other municipal representations. Which are you eager to become involved in?
The two most dear to my heart are transportation and environment and police services.
Voter apathy is always a concern, ranging between 25.7% to 42% of cast ballots 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 a problem in our community. I walk door to door during my campaign to encourage voters to come to the polls. Without physically bringing them to the polls, I'm not sure how to solve this problem.
How much time and money should be allocated to upgrading the town dock? What is your stance on the town dock project?
The town dock is in desperate need of repair. There will be millions of dollars put into these repairs over the next few years just to keep it the way it is. The dock project although not finished, was a way to spend the money wisely by having a some sort of a plan.
The beloved arena and curling rink are at the end of life, and in various states of disrepair. Is it worth more to pour into their upkeep or invest in a new facility? What is your stance on the facilities?
Penetanguishene is a small community with a small tax base. The investment for a new building was a shock and hard to swallow. I think there are ways of reducing the cost of the new facility and reinvent the existing buildings. We need to further explore other ways to achieve the same end result.
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?
There are many interest groups in this town and the municipality has been transparent in informing residents what is going on. It is tough to come up with something they don't know.
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?
The biggest part of this growth period is to manage the growth properly. We have a small community and are limited by the property available and business in the area.
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?
I have been a member of the police services board for four years. The police are not responsible for recidivism. They seem to be arresting the same people over and over. I believe our role as municipal leaders is to continue to make the ministry aware of what is going on, ask the questions and help to reduce the waste of police officers' time. We pay for this time through the calls-for-service model.
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?
There is nothing desperate that the municipality needs. The arena roof has been repaired, and the curling club has a new plant. I believe we should be coming up with creative ways to save monies in the budget to work toward a new building for sports. I believe it would take at least a $500 increase in everyone's taxes for the next 10 years just to pay for 1/3 of the building proposed.
Times change. What is the most aged or obsolete bylaw in your municipality’s code?
Most of the bylaws are changed or updated on a regular basis. The zoning bylaw was old and has changed significantly just lately.
Once you complete your four-year term, what is the legacy you want residents to best remember for your time in office?
Four-year terms are not enough time to create a legacy in my mind. However, I would like to be remembered as approachable, able to ask the right questions, and that I made well-informed decisions for the benefit of the municipality.
