By Dan Jones, LJI
Northumberland 89.7 FM
“I’m not making promises, because I have no idea, sitting at the table in November, what I’m going to see. I don’t want to break promises,” said Sherry Gibson.
“(I want) to see what needs to be done, what can be put on hold, and what can be scheduled for a future date,” she said. “We don’t ask the taxpayers to fund more than they can afford to do.”
Part of understanding the Township’s financial situation for Gibson will be working with senior staff to prioritize department projects. This may mean departments delay initiatives, in favour of others. The Township faces the daunting task of replacing the aging arena with what may be more of a recreational complex and rearranged baseball diamonds in Grafton. This project could cost tens of millions of dollars, if it is approved. In the meantime, the arena’s ice surface is being replaced, and fundraising is ongoing.
Gibson explained she wants to resurrect volunteer boards and committees in the Township. This follows more than one dozen volunteer committee members resigning over the past four years, many frustrated with the current council’s approach to their contributions.
“I have heard that as I have been campaigning, that people feel that they aren’t being listened to. That their volunteer time is not being respected,” Gibson said.
She wants to restore trust, set clear mandates for committees, ensure volunteer committees know how to report back to council, that their work is valued, and they could make changes. Re-engaging with the citizenry could mean holding council meetings in various communities within the Township, also at times that work with people’s schedules. Gibson is hoping this may bridge the north/south divide.
Housing, she said, is a top priority for her, and she is committed to working with developers to create a mix of housing options, but only if housing growth is measured and municipal infrastructure supports it.
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