BRANTFORD DESERVES BETTER...
FOCUSSING ON BRANTFORD'S FUTURE
Experienced Democratic Leadership That Learns From The Past To Plan For A Better Tomorrow
A STARTING POINT
AS BRANTFORD'S NEXT MAYOR
I believe a New City Council needs to collectively develop a democratic course of action based on community input leading up to and throughout the 2022 municipal election period. Through experience, I believe the best place to start is using a proven formula PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Adjust). Council and our community can utilize this format to establish priorities, goals, benchmarks and evaluation points throughout a business plan, or in this case, a political mandate. This becomes a starting point! Brantford Deserves Better.
PLAN
Develop short and long term plans with input from our community and newly elected City Councillors through Town Hall Meetings. Working together with City Hall administrators and frontline staff, we can establish objectives and processes required to deliver beneficial results.
DO
This is the action phase where the mayor, councillors, city staff and community work
together to carry out the objectives from the previous step.
CHECK
During the check phase, any feed-back, data and results are gathered from the "do" phase and quarterly Town Hall Meetings are evaluated. Progress updates MUST be delivered back to the community. This check/reporting period should be determined during the planning phase. This phase helps all the parties involved to see what plans, steps or changes worked better than others and can they be improved as well. Are we on target to meet our goals and community needs?
ADJUST
This is where a process is improved or adjusted to achieve better results. Records, information and data gathered from the "do" and "check" phases help identify issues with what was done, missed or overlooked. Adjust provides the opportunity to revisit or rework any planning changes for the next timeline.
THE NEXT FOUR YEARS
AS BRANTFORD'S NEXT MAYOR
I believe, we as a community have room to improve and grow. However there are roadblocks and short comings within our current political mandate that are holding our community back.
With your help, We have identified 4 key areas of focus, Accountability, Fiscal Management, Community & Social Services and Development & Infrastructure. Within each area, we have listed objectives that need or require measurable improvements. There are some that require immediate action. I look forward to sharing these items with a New City Council and creating workable solutions for our City. Brantford Deserves Better.
MAYOR & COUNCIL ACCOUNTABILITY
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Improve Brantford's 29/32 Democracy Index rank
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Restore our elected vote - Eliminate Council's "Chilling Effect" code of conduct muzzle order for councillors and volunteers
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Review of Council In Camera Meeting use, frequency and the much needed use of recording the meetings for accuracy and transparency
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Consistent constituent communication
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Monthly council and community reports
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Public access to my Mayors Calendar to promote better constituent interaction
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12 month business cycle for council that avoids work delays throughout the year and into the summer months.
FISCAL MANAGEMENT
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The Corporation of the City of Brantford annual budget exceeds $300 million dollars
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Full review of the 4 - year term plan for all capital and works budgets
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Establish a 4 year budget with quarterly updates.
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Consultant utilization review and audit of Council & City services
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Prioritize capital projects on a value proposition basis, utilizing constituent input
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Property tax review with a focus on minimal future increases
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Reduce our growing debt and legal costs.
COMMUNITY & SOCIAL SERVICES
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A friendly neighbourhood approach to community relations.
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Town Hall meetings to review key capital and growth projects affecting our wards and city
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Foster "Made in Brantford" solutions with local professionals.
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Promote additional geared to income housing developments.
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Public input is needed to ensure a "Livable Brantford" for our constituents
- Master Aging Plan review to ensure proper alignment with the growing demographic
- Affordable Housing review with local developers to improve ratio costs per unit
- Community social services and shelter needs support for the most vulnerable
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Reduce the red tape for charities/non-for-profit community events
DEVELOPMENT & INFRASTRUCTURE
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Brantford/Brant/Six Nations of the Grand River shared stockholder review of our Inter-Regional traffic needs to ensure an optimized area wide traffic plan, with a full cost and benefit analysis with Town Hall meeting reviews of the defined options
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Small housing initiatives for seniors & first time home buyers
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Focus on local road and bridge infrastructure needs
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Greenspace preservation via strategic future city growth
- Promote strategic industrial development partnerships and job creation opportunities
IMMEDIATE ACTION ITEMS
AS BRANTFORD'S NEXT MAYOR
I believe the following 3 items require immediate attention and resolution, in hopes of restoring public trust, transparency, honesty and confidence in our city's political landscape and leadership. With the support of a New City Council, I will ask that we immediately address the following:
END the $75 million dollar lawsuit against outspoken members of our community...
6 people out of more than 7,700 signatures on a petition to "Save Arrowdale" were named in a $75 million SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) dollar lawsuit by this mayor. I believe this is a classic case of political targeting, intimidation and bullying. It has created a "Chilling Effect" in our community. This punitive action begs the question of what is next, or who is next?
These residents peacefully protested against the sale of a valued community asset and the undemocratic process that our mayor choose to push the sale through in less than 13 days. The lawsuit seems to have a "Chilling Effect" on the entire community. To add to that, the lawsuit is being funded by millions of your tax dollars.
As Brantford's next Mayor, I will ask Council to end the $75 million dollar lawsuit against the 6 individuals, and stop the bleeding of your tax dollars to fund it. That means mediated settlements are not required. Non-disclosure agreements are not required.
No political intimidation! No political bullying! Total transparency!
I will also request a report back on the actual cost to our community. This should include a list of underfunded projects that would have benefited from those dollars, and where they could have wisely been reallocated to provide a positive outcome for ward residents and their neighbourhoods.
This lawsuit is costly. Your money! Your voices! What happened to the fiscal accountability, inclusiveness and community engagement we were promised?
Brantford Deserves Better!
SCRAP the Code of Conduct changes that muzzles members of Council and the public...
I believe this mayor along with several councillors, issued a "gag" or "muzzle" order against members of council who disagreed with a position, a vote or a final decision. It compounds the ongoing "Chilling Effect" on our community. Your elected members of Council cannot speak out in opposition without facing a "code of conduct" complaint filed against them by the mayor or another member of our Council. It's undemocratic and punitive. As a result, your elected voice is being punished for speaking up, speaking out or peacefully protesting on your behalf. So much for respecting the fundamentals of democracy and freedom of speech.
Recently, council passed another "code of conduct" change that may silence your voice from speaking out over decisions made by council or staff.
I believe these "code of conduct" changes are NOT tools of democracy.
As Brantford's next Mayor, I will move a resolution to remove both sets of changes to the code of conduct. It will give back an unfettered voice to all councillors, regardless of their view on a decision, so they can represent you without fear of reprisal.
Voices should never be silenced. It's time for the political openness and transparency we were promised!!!
Brantford Deserves Better!
REQUEST a Provincial inquiry into the sale of Arrowdale...
It appears there is more going on than meets the eye. With a growing list of political documents from "Freedom of Information" requests relating to Arrowdale, it appears the resolution to sell Arrowdale may have been in the works months earlier. (See the publicly visible FREEDOM OF INFORMATION EMAILS - Facebook Page, for the full and accurate email details)
As Brantford's next Mayor, I will move a resolution requesting for a full and independent Provincial review and investigation into the entire Arrowdale sale process, including in-camera session notes and minutes, internal and external emails, and texts.
It's time for full disclosure. It's time for the political transparency we were promised!!!
Brantford Deserves Better!