Candidate Name: Robert Uhrig
Position Sought: Deputy Mayor (ACCLAIMED)
Email: rjuhrig56@gmail.com
Phone: 705-994-5136
Bio:
I was raised on an apple orchard in rural Meaford, and like many, 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 Canadian chart success and 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 four 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 37 years, Derris and I returned to Meaford in 2018 to be closer to family. I retired in 2021 and was elected Municipal Councillor in 2022.
I love to travel and believe visiting and experiencing other parts of the world enables me to make better decisions about our own community.
I enjoy reading and continue to write songs and screenplays; support culture, regularly attending or volunteering for many cultural events; and play basketball, badminton, pickleball and golf.
Explain your primary reasons for your decision to seek election to Meaford council:
Having sat on various local non-profit organizations, I successfully ran for Council in 2022 and have enjoyed serving the community over the past four years. Covid was challenging for everyone, but the post-Covid era was a boon for Meaford as many people discovered our area during this time. My desire to continue Council and pursue the Deputy Mayor position is due to that growth. It has resulted in opportunities and challenges and my priorities are:
1: Economic Development
Balancing development with Meaford’s character — ensuring responsible growth supports existing residents, preserves green space, and respects our agricultural heritage.
2: Housing & Affordability
Working toward attainable housing options for families, seniors, and young people who want to live and stay in Meaford.
3: Taxes & Budget
Meaford has moved from one of the highest tax rates in Grey County to the middle of the pack. We need to maintain a lean budget, steadily fund our infrastructure, and protect the reserves that provide long-term stability.
4: Infrastructure & Roads
Prioritizing the maintenance and improvement of roads, water, and municipal services that residents depend on every day.
I am committed to making our community a home that we can all be proud of.
In your view, what should be the top priorities for the council that is elected on October 26?
- Identify and steward our identity! We need a Visioning Exercise, complete with public input, that will determine the shape of our complete municipality: rural and urban, as well as establish a new Economic Development Strategic Plan.
- Maintain a balanced responsible budget to stimulate economic development, encourage growth, and assist our aging and in-need populations.
- Encourage new development while ensuring it conforms to and maintains the character of our community and adheres to the Official Plan.
- Utilizing the current Business Retention + Expansion project, foster new, and support existing small businesses as they will be the stimulus to attract more youth to our community, enable growth, and help offset the tax burden for its residents.
- Grow our industrial business community. Council purchased 30 acres of serviceable land in 2026. With the help of Grey County, we need to start populating that space by attracting new and expanding businesses.
- Our urban waterfront should be a vibrant focal point of our community but, in my estimation, remains an underutilized asset. Council set aside $200k in the 2026 budget for a Harbour and Urban Downtown Meaford Master Plan to study and address this issue.
- Address the limited wastewater capacity issue by determining whether an expansion of our existing plant is required or, partner with a neighbouring municipality to share expenses to avoid the exorbitant cost of a new facility.
- Address our aging municipal infrastructure concerns. Determine whether we continue to put money into our existing pool and community centre or explore the possibility of partnering with agencies and neighbouring municipalities to build a new shared recreational/municipal centre.
- Support local cultural and tourism projects and organizations as they provide financial stimulus, visibility and character.
- TCE: despite the decision-making process being out of its hands, Council secured pre-development funding to financially benefit the community. The project is currently in the hands of IAAC, but if it does proceed, Council needs to ensure that the Municipality receives adequate compensation for the burden it would have to bear during its construction and secure a Community Benefits Agreement for the life of the project.
Explain the role of Deputy Mayor as you understand it.
Like a Councillor, a Deputy Mayor 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
Beyond the standard Councillor duties, the Deputy Mayor must also:
– Act as Mayor by stepping in to run council meetings, sign official documents, and lead public ceremonies if the mayor is away.
– Provide regional representation by serving on Grey County council bridging local and regional municipal interests.
– support the mayor with governance, committee work, and community outreach.
