Harley Greenfield, Council Candidate
Candidate Name: Harley Greenfield
Position Sought: Councillor
Email: hrgreen@gmail.com
Phone: 519-538-2570
Bio:
A lifetime resident of the former twp. of St. Vincent. Graduated from Meaford District High School. Married for 46 years. Self employed in masonry construction since 1976. Served initially as a Councillor on the final St. Vincent twp. Council. Since amalgamation in 2001, have served twice as a Councillor and three terms as deputy-mayor. Council duties, lawn and gardening duties at home, and some scaled back masonry projects, as well as three grandsons, keep me occupied.
Have sat on many lower and upper tier committees, such as the Museum and Library boards, Grey Sauble Conservation Authority Inter-municipal Wind Turbine Committee, Grey County Forestry Stewardship and the Inter Twp. Fire Department Board, to name some.
Also participated in the International Plowing Match activities in our municipality in 1987 and 2004 as a member of the Antiques committee.
Why I am running for Meaford council:
I firmly believe that the next four years will demonstrate a considerable pattern of growth in our munic, especially in the area of residential development. Collingwood, the Blue Mountains. and Shelburne have already witnessed this increase, and our community is next in line for a building boom. Although real estate is pricey here, properties here are still relatively inexpensive compared to our southeastern neighbours. Developers are starting to realize this. With housing projects starting to take shape at our eastern boundary, a spill over into our municipality is imminent. This new development, wherever it may occur, must be managed responsibly. I want to be a part of that future.
Many traditional types of farming, the beef and dairy farms, along with soybean, wheat and corn cash cropping are now million dollar enterprises. The apple industry is experiencing a resurgence, and new ventures in cideries and wineries are becoming common. Having been reared on a farm and having farmed for almost 20 years, agricultural growth is a natural interest for me.
One of my most satisfying practices in serving on Council is conversing, discussing and helping our local populace, especially if it helps make their individual situations, and the municipality in general, a better place to live. Improving and facilitating local residents needs and initiatives is what serving on Council is all about.
My Top Priorities if Elected to the New Council:
Council must combat the worsening conditions of our roads and bridges. This is most prevalent in our rural areas, but also common in our urban community. To do this, more funding must be directed to our infrastructure projects. I am not advocating higher taxes, but cost cutting activity elsewhere in our budget must be found.
The delivery of fire services throughout the municipality will require much discussion, especially if Owen Sound approaches the Inter twp. Fire Department (of which our municipality is a 25% partner) and proposes potential partnership offers. Our new Fire Master plan which is currently being developed, will create interesting opinions and undoubtedly foster much thought provoking dialogue.
Police services are once more on the topic list, and are beginning to be questioned. Although the last 3 years have seen reasonable costings, certain crimes are on the rise and more dedicated hours are proving costly. Will our present system of prevention, protection and investigation be sufficient in the future? A lack of police presence, both in vehicles and on foot is being mentioned all too often.
We are refurbishing a building and parking lot to create a newer, revitalized 21st century Library and community hub. Council has set an upset limit of 5.5 million dollars for this task. This project is going ahead, as it should, but the costs must be kept at or under budget. I intend to ensure that.
The rental rates charged to community groups at Meaford Hall and other municipal venues should once again be examined. Our local amateur theatre group has been priced out of the Hall due to high rates, our Rotary Club narrowly missed the same fate, and other traditional renters are suffering from the fees now demanded. yes, the Meaford Hall (especially) needs to recover as much income as possible, but it was restored for community as well as professional use, and is heavily subsidized by local tax dollars. We cannot shut out any more local entities from using any of our venues because of high prices.
Throughout this upcoming term, more residential and economic development must be advocated. Small manufacturing incentives should be supported, and residential units, particularly in the low to middle rental/purchase price range must be created. working with Grey County to create both more attainable housing and small industry is imperative.
Our municipality has a huge percentage of senior citizens. Most are lifelong residents, many have moved here recently because of choice. Long Term Care facilities, whether they be public or private, must not be lost in our area, but rather preserved and expanded.
As a current member of Council, I know very well that cautious spending of our taxpayer dollars is necessary. Unreasonable annual increases are not permissible. Debt must be decreased on a continuous schedule, and reserves must always be strong. Seeking of provincial and federal grant monies should remain constant. Cost cutting measures should be always kept in mind.
My Involvement in the Community Over the Past Four Years:
As a servant on both the Municipality of Meaford and Grey County Council for the last 4 years, most of my community has been politically related. Dedicating at least 27 hours a week to Council related business certainly infringes upon other activities. But no complaints on this commitment. It is expected, and accepted.
I have found some time to attend hockey and ball games, and some amateur and professional performances at Meaford Hall, the Market Square, and the Harbour pavilion. Helped with dinner duties at the Meaford International Film Festival. Have participated in Rotary Trivia night fundraisers, and enjoyed various community hall BBQs and breakfasts. Attended our own Meaford St. Vincent fall Fair both as a spectator and an advocate for the Grey County Farm Safety Association at their booth. Served as a member of the Grey Sauble Conservation Foundation and volunteered for local Foodgrains bank initiatives. Enjoyed a year on the Friends of the Library and supported the Net Shed by contributing and purchasing books. Also been involved in local amateur theatre as an actor and writer.
The Role of Councillor as I See it:
The main priority of a Councillor is to be representative of the public they serve. In conjunction with the representative role, a Councillor must develop policy for the municipality to follow. This policy must be duly moved, researched , discussed and voted upon in a public forum and will then become a blueprint for the corporation to follow.
A Councillor must be somewhat cognizant of a variety of provincial legislation, in particular the Municipal Act, 2001. Plus they need to be aware of their own local Official Plan and Strategic Plan, and municipal by-laws. of course, having informative, helpful staff will help a council member with their requests. The learning process is endless, and one must keep upgrading their municipally related knowledge.
Municipal Codes of Conduct and the Conflict of Interest Act are becoming increasingly common and often called upon. These are two documents one has to become familiar with very quickly.
Although not legislated, a Councillor must be an advocate of the municipality he or she serves. Openness, transparency and always willing to help their residents is essential. Be approachable. An upfront, honest approach is necessary. It will be impossible to ‘please all the people all the time’. Be frank, courteous, and if you don’t know the answer to a question immediately, promise to find out….and then follow up by getting back to your constituent.
The Skills I Will Bring to Council:
A Councillor must adapt the skill of listening very early in their campaign and their career. Patience is another. These two are both attributes and a Councillor must become ‘skilled’ at utilizing them both. I have a history of treating everyone I deal with on an equal basis.
Analyzing all issues that come before Council , large or small, is mandatory. One must be prepared to do your homework. I ask questions not only about the dollar cost of a project, but also of the ‘human’ connection, and whom will be affected most by the pending decision.
I have the ability to converse with the public one-on-one or in a group setting.
Basic skills that are still required in our 21st century world are the ability to read and perform mathematical figuring. Just try figuring out a budget or a quarterly report without those basics.
I have enough experience to be able to determine the success or failure rate of a project or service. Although the former is always preferred, the latter sometimes occurs. I give credit when it is due, but am not hesitant to criticize constructively.
My knowledge of both the building trades and the business of farming are assets when it comes to Council affairs. Being able to ‘talk the same language’ as the tradespeople and the farm community is valuable.
I have an ability to recognize or at least suspect problems before they arise. If something appears too good to be true it usually is.
My skills learned by a long time association with Grey Sauble have made me more aware of environmental and conservationist threats.
I am a team player, but still prepared to ‘go alone’ if some issue before Council does not agree to my expectations. However, once the vote is cast, whether I agree or not with the decision, I will support Council’s wish.
Researching issues is common for me. Although I respect and rely on reports from our Staff, I am able to do my own fact finding, and then a comparative analysis of the information.
I believe being organized is a skill that a Councillor must possess. I am prepared when I arrive at the council table, and punctuality is important.
