Stambrook promises to fiscal management, accountability if elected Port Hope mayor

By Dan Jones, LJI
Northumberland 89.7 FM

David Stambrook said that if elected Mayor of Port Hope, he will seek bureaucratic efficiencies, cap tax increases at 2.5 percent annually, and help prepare the municipality for the proposed Wesleyville nuclear facility.

“I think there are efficiency savings to be achieved in the municipal overhead. The general administration has gone up 45 percent in the last four years,” Stambrook said. “Overall tax level has gone up 25 percent, which is a lot more than most people’s earning has gone up.”

Stambrook is not looking to cut critical services, like policing, emergency response, water and community services, which he believes people value.

His online platform calls for a review of the $8.5 million in the town’s annual corporate overhead to find meaningful efficiencies.

Stambrook is seeking to scrutinize the municipality’s administrative services, claiming costs have doubled in the past four years.

“It went up much more dramatically than the overall tax level and the overall spending. I don’t know where that’s going. It is $2 million; it used to be $1 million,” he explained. “What are we getting from that? How can we do things more efficiently? Do we need that? Do we need consultants when we have expert staff?”

Stambrook is proposing measuring department costs against outcomes and targets, reviewing staffing, accommodation needs, and performance expectations responsibly. However, details on this initiative are not mentioned or available.

Stambrook wants to keep the Port Hope small town feel, preserving the quality of life, yet understands that growth will be coming to the region, if the proposed Wesleyville nuclear project proceeds. That includes the project’s scale, its footprint in the area, industrial development, and housing needs. The Wesleyville project is still in the very early stages.

The municipal election is Oct. 26.

Listen for the full interview