As the provincial government lunges forward into Phase 3 of the reopening of the economy, it can be hard to track all that is going on in Northumberland. County bureaucrats are moving quickly on multiple fronts seeking input on everything from budget to a strategy to support tourism.
But it is not alone.
Premier Doug Ford is out and about doing some political campaign-style stops across the province, attempting to ride the momentum of the relaxing of regulations, requirements, and numerous guidelines everyone has faced over the past five months.
Mix this with people’s deep desire to return to the way it was before the pandemic can leave us all a bit heady. We forget that people are still getting sick. People are still dying. This is a deadly disease. And we need to wash our hands, physically distance and wear a mask in public places. Because when we don’t, we only need to look south of the border or at other countries to realize what a disaster happens. It takes so little to put us back into lockdown once more.
Today’s interviews are about making our community safer and a place of well-being. I will speak to Sarah Tanner, a manager at Northumberland County, who wants all of us to fill out a survey about how we can make things safer and make things better where we live. Her goal is to get a lot of different agencies, institutions, and groups around a table to tackle some of the most complex and difficult issues from opioids to homelessness to mental health.
So, let’s begin with my interview with Sarah Tanner, Community and Customer Service Manager for Northumberland County about how you can become involved in the safety and well-being initiative taking place right now.
Originally aired: July 17, 2020
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