Candidate Name: Hugh Grafton
Position Sought: councillor
Email: baybreeze7@sympatico.ca
Phone: 519-538-3542
Bio:
I grew up on a farm outside of Durham. Immediately after high school, I served in the navy in Halifax. I returned to Ontario and settled in Harriston where I met my wife and 1st mate Kim. We settled down to raise our daughter while operating a restaurant and contracting business. I served a term as councillor for the Municipality of Minto.
As an avid sailor I have been coming to Meaford since the mid 1980’s and in 2004 moved to Meaford and have been living the “Georgian Bay Dream” ever since.
Explain your primary reasons for your decision to seek election to Meaford council:
I have a longstanding interest in Municipal Governance. As my retirement approaches and my career is winding down I finally have time to pursue and focus on these interests. In the next four years, we have some really interesting and contentious issues, concerning the future of our community.
I would like to represent the diverse community within our Municipality including the busy working couples with children, those engaged in farming/agriculture, and those like myself who fell in love with this area and chose to move here. I also feel there is an ever increasing need to represent those whose voices are not being heard and who are struggling to find food, housing, daycare, mental health issues and crisis services within our community. I will strive to build an inclusive, prosperous environment in which we can all thrive.
In your view, what should be the top priorities for the council that is elected on October 24?
As mundane as it sounds maintaining and upgrading our infrastructure including road and bridge rehabilitation is and will continue to require monetary commitment and planning by council. In our rural community roads are as important as the internet, to connecting us with each other and moving goods and services within and beyond our community.
Balancing new development within our community while respecting existing homes and residents already is a major issue and will continue to be one. Astute planning and innovative approaches to sustainable development need to be practiced and encouraged. Our Official Plan should be respected and supported by our elected officials.
Planning for future growth and its impact on municipal infrastructures like the waste water treatment plant require long term infrastructure investment. If growth continues at the present pace we need to be diligent in planning and budgeting accordingly.
Attracting and promoting industry, whether it be agricultural or tourist based we need to support and engage our citizens creating conditions which encourage and enable entrepreneurship.
Affordable housing is a big issue in our area as housing and rental prices continue to increase. We need to pressure our Provincial and Federal levels of government to solutions and funding to begin to address this issue.
Explain the role of councillor (or Mayor/Deputy Mayor) as you understand it.
A councillor has one vote at the table and his actions are defined and regulated by the Municipal Act. My duty as a councillor, is to listen and learn. To find out about the issues and find positive solutions, while considering costs and liabilities. The concerns of constituents must be heard and acknowledged. The job of a councillor requires a great deal of reading and processing of information. As a councillor it is your due diligence to find out as much information as possible on any issue you will be required to vote on. You are serving a large municipality with diverse needs and wants that it may not always be possible to fulfill but to always strive to do the best for the community as a whole. Councillors can bring forward motions of interest to the municipality as well as vote on issues brought forward by town staff.
In my previous term as Town of Minto councillor, I always asked myself before I voted. Is this good for the people involved, and is it good for the greater community? Good governance respects both individuals and the community at large, a balance a good councillor will work towards.
