Rats, roads and tax rates top Renfrew election debate

By Bruce McIntyre

Rats don’t bite.

That was one of the answers provided to a series of questions raised during Renfrew’s only all-candidate meeting held in the town’s rec centre last week leading up to the Oct. 24 municipal election.

The meeting had four of the five mayoral candidates and all eight councillor candidates showed up to make their pitch to the 150 visitors who attended, and to those who streamed the event.

Each candidate was allowed three minutes to deliver their campaign platforms and to respond to follow-up questions. The topics, aside from the rat issues, budgeting, affordable housing and tax freezes main issues.

Candidates for council square off 

All eight agreed there is a desperate need for affordable housing and vowed to work with all levels of government to find a way to increase the quantity of housing for anyone who wants to call Renfrew home.

They also agreed there appears to be a disconnect between the elected and the residents, and this can be partially bridged if there is greater transparency with the budget process. All but one of the eight candidates have never been a member of town council, and among them were some younger candidates ranging from the age of 26 to some in their 30’s with young families, and there were some retired candidates who showcased their experience.

Adam Laviolette, who ran unsuccessfully in the 2018 election, was critical of the town’s policy towards business facades on the exterior of their shops.

“Creating bylaws that tell a new business that they must present a tasteful façade even before they have generated enough income before they can even do so is stifling at the very least,” Laviolette said. “Government needs to get out people’s way and allow them to grow and prosper in a way that works best for them.”

Brady Enright, the youngest of the group, touted his youthfulness as the reason why voters should consider him for council.

I know a lot of you are going to look up and see a young man and think I am not capable of doing this job,” Mr. Enright said in closing. “I would like you not to focus on my age, but what I have accomplished in my short lifetime. This year there will be five new councillors, so if you want change, mix it up and vote for a young mind like myself.”

Andrew Dick used a line from his platform on more than one occasion to differentiate himself from the current council and his competitors.

“One of the main reasons I would make a good councillor is that I do not offer excuses—only solutions.”

Guy Longtin, the town’s former Fire Chief who at the age of 61 was terminated when the council of the day introduced a bylaw requiring all fire department personnel to retire at the age of 60 years, certainly stood out among the eight contenders when he brought up the topic of building a swimming pool at Mateway Park.

John Mc Donald, highlighted his previous experience in the military and public service and he said as a public servant, he went above and beyond his duties and vowed to bring that philosophy to the role as councillor.

“Our Renfrew Coat of Arms states ‘let it flourish’ and this will require work,” he said. “I believe running for this councillor position is an act of public service, and it is a natural extension of what I have been doing for the last 35 years.”

Seeking mayor's chair

Mike Coulas, who is completing his second term as a councillor said Renfrew is the only large community in the Ottawa Valley that has not had an increase in population growth and that hampers any future chances of growth.

“Renfrew is the only community that has not seen any growth, and that has to change for sure,” he said. “We have acres of land that we the people own and we can sell that land to developers to create affordable housing. I intend to market Renfrew to developers far and wide. I want to promote Renfrew as the place to live and set up business. Highway 17 is coming, and we are not ready for it. Not even close.”

Sandi Heins served as mayor for 12 of the 28 years she devoted to municipal politics, touted her experience as the reason why residents should vote for her.

“I am a responsible person who takes a common sense approach to politics and I want the citizens to have more than just living here and paying taxes,” she said. “Council can be visionary, but it must be responsible. We need to grow Renfrew in a well-planned manner in a responsible manner and I am ready to be your mayor.”Callum Scott, who is proud to be considered an outsider to politics and has let his name stand four times for mayor, made a number of unexpected announcements including the pledge to donate his mayor’s salary to a number of local charities.

“I don’t need the job, I want the job,” Mr. Scott said. “I will reduce the mayor’s salary and donate to a number of local charities and I will split the town into five wards so that the residents have a local voice and represent you. The sunshine list currently has 18 town staff on it and now we have a new CAO. What’s next, a king and a queen? The spending has to stop and that is going to cost us over $1 million alone.”

Tom Sidney posed two questions as part of his opening remarks in order to engage those in attendance and those watching from home.

“What is a mayor…what is Renfrew,” he asked. “A mayor is one voice and has only one vote so a mayor has to not only be a leader, but the mayor has to be team player in order for council and this town to move forward. We have to brand Renfrew as a place to do business and raise a family.”

One of the questions for both mayoral and councillor candidates was about taxation and whether or not each of the candidates would agree to limiting how much taxes increase each year. Only one of the six candidates who spoke on the issue argued for a cap or freezing of rates.

The majority cited the high rate of inflation and the town would be irresponsible to either freeze any tax increase or have a pre-set rate with no option to adjust. The result would be a massive increase closer to 10 percent if the rate is frozen in order just to catch up and keep pace.

However, Scott says it should be capped, adding a possible solution would be to stunt the proposed growth of the town.

“If we can do it, absolutely,” he said. “If we’re going to grow Renfrew, get prepared to open your pocketbook because it’s going to cost a lot of money. I like Renfrew the way it is, as a small town, that’s why people move here.”

The final question dealt with the issue of sudden rat infestations in the town and how to deal with it.

Tom Sidney pleaded with residents to stop putting garbage out a week ahead of pick-up and said municipal governments are not allowed to use pesticides. Sandi Heins said the local health unit has been slow to reply to calls and it should be considered a public health issue. Jason Legris called for better communication between the towns and residents on preventive measures.

Callum Scott closed the meeting by stating the rat infestation began when the soil was disturbed when upgrades were made at the hydro generating station.

“That started it and we have many baby rats around our home and then the town put up the fence and they could not go back down and now we have rats the size of cats. I really don’t understand what the problem is because rats don’t bite.”

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today