Candidate Name: Robert Uhrig
Position Sought: Councillor
Email: rjuhrig56@gmail.com
Phone: 519-377-3570
Bio:
Raised on an apple orchard in rural Meaford, like so many, I was forced to leave the area to seek employment elsewhere.
Early on, I successfully pursued a music career as a published songwriter for over 10 years enjoying chart success, as well as placing many songs in various television shows and movies. I continued in the arts and culture sector as the Administrative Director of the Grey Bruce Arts Council for another 4 years before entering the business world, primarily in middle to senior management positions including 20+ years in Sales, Marketing and Customer Service Management, and 10 years as the General Manager of a manufacturing company in Mississauga.
Happily married to my wife of 33 years, Derris and I returned to Meaford in 2018 to be closer to family and I retired in 2021. We love to travel and believe visiting and learning about other parts of the world enable us to make better decisions about our own community.
I enjoy and participate equally in sports and culture. My wife and I regularly attend and support many cultural events. I enjoy reading and continue to write songs and screenplays, and play basketball, badminton, tennis and golf.
Explain your primary reasons for your decision to seek election to Meaford council:
Over the last 4+ years I have watched as our amazing resilient community has withstood Covid; become a highly sought-after destination by many people who discovered or rediscovered our beautiful area during the pandemic; faced immense challenges such as struggling with attainable housing issues, maneuvering numerous development projects, continue to deal with global supply chain issues and labour shortages, and navigating the TCE Energy Project; all while welcoming numerous exciting new ventures to our business community.
I grew up in Meaford and chose to return “home” to finish my working career and ease into retirement. It was also my intent to give back to the community that raised me and during that time, I have served with many dedicated volunteers on various local organizations that are committed to making our community a home that we can all be proud of.
It is an interesting and exciting time for Meaford which will present many challenges and opportunities. For better or worse, we are growing and there will be many important directions to consider. Decisions that will shape our future for generations to come. I believe I have the experience and desire to help make those decisions.
In your view, what should be the top priorities for the council that is elected on October 24?
- Identify and steward our identity! What is Meaford? A retirement community, a tourist destination? We need to decide what we are before we can establish proper steps to achieve that goal.
- Maintain a balanced responsible budget and stimulate economic development.
- Control new development ensuring that it maintains the character of our community and adheres to the Official Plan.
- Foster new, and support existing small businesses as they will be the stimulus for bringing more youth into our community, enable growth, and help offset the tax burden for its residents.
- Develop the waterfront to become a vibrant focal point of our community.
- Support local cultural and tourism projects and organizations as they provide financial stimulus, visibility and character.
- Improve the relationship between our rural and urban sectors. A strengthened union would benefit all.
- TCE: while the decision-making process is out of our hands, if this project proceeds, we need to ensure that the Municipality receives adequate compensation for the burden it will have to bear during its construction and beyond.
- Align ourselves with neighbouring municipalities to strengthen Meaford’s position in the tourism sector. South Georgian Bay communities ranging from Midland to Owen Sound have an opportunity to work together to raise our regional awareness, particularly in the fields of arts and culture, that would provide mutual economic development and stimulus.
Explain the role of councillor (or Mayor/Deputy Mayor) as you understand it.
I believe a Councillor needs to:
– assess and represent the needs of the entire community
– seek the necessary guidance and information to be well informed in making decisions for the Municipality
– maintain the guidelines of the Municipal Act
– be responsible for the finances of the Municipality, and ensure that strong and accurate budgetary measures are enacted and maintained
– be accountable, with complete transparency, for decisions made on behalf of its residents
– direct the municipal staff to carry out the Council directives
– work together with his/her fellow Councillors to best serve the community
- act professionally and ethically
