New warden stands on platform of trust and transparency

Trina Berlo Wasaga Beach December 15 2009
As Simcoe County’s new warden, Wasaga Beach Mayor Cal Patterson will see the county flag fly at town hall and his municipal flag will fly at the county administration centre in Midhurst.
Wasaga Beach’s flag will fly at the County of Simcoe’s administration centre in Midhurst during the upcoming year to signify its mayor is head of county council.
“I have never been more excited,” said Wasaga Beach Mayor Cal Patterson.
Patterson was acclaimed as warden on Tues., Dec. 8 after incumbent Tony Guergis dropped out of the two-man race at the last minute.
“Honestly I got very emotional when Tony got up said he would like to ask for an acclamation of councillor Patterson,” he said. “I got a standing ovation from everybody on the floor and in the gallery. How do you respond to that? I wasn’t prepared for anything like that.”
Patterson said he was shocked by how things turned out that day and was a little disappointed that he didn’t have a chance to say the speech he had worked so hard on and was so closely tied to his acceptance speech, both full of references about transparency and trust.
“I look at the warden’s job as being the captain of the team or the playing coach of the team,” said Patterson. “I am the leader among equals. There’s 32 of us, we’re all leaders of our community so my position is to lead them as chair of county council, or the facilitator.”
Patterson has been chairing the county’s performance management committee for two years, a role that has earned him the unofficial title of deputy warden.
He said he has been heavily involved in county government and said although there will be a learning curve, he expects his not to be too steep.
“I am hitting the ground running for the most part,” said Patterson.
He said his commitments in Wasaga Beach remain a priority but he will be calling on the deputy mayor, other members of council and staff to support him as he fulfills his duties at the county.
“I am 22 minutes away from the Simcoe County administration building,” said Patterson.
A full-time politician, Patterson said he will split his workweek between Wasaga Beach and the county. He will attend three monthly committee meetings at the county and said they do not conflict with any of the four monthly committee meetings he attends in Wasaga Beach. Although the mayor is not required to attend committee meetings in Wasaga Beach he said he hopes to continue to be able to do so.
Patterson was elected to a one-year term, which will be interrupted by a municipal election in November. Assuming he is reelected as mayor, his term as warden will continue until December. The following term of warden will be two years, as new procedures will come into place following the next municipal election.
He said he has committed to running again next year.
Patterson said his main goal is to lead the county through its appeal process of the government of Ontario’s Place to Grow document that allocates how much growth can occur in what communities.
“I have a feeling they are not going to budge,” he said. “My goal is to have the ministers understand the impact on all of the individual municipalities – the other 13 within the county.”
He said the numbers don’t make sense because Penetanguishene and Adjala-Tosorontio have already grown beyond the allocated limit.
Based on 2006 census information, Penetanguishene’s population was calculated at 9,700 and was given a proposed provincial allocation of 10,500. Patterson said since 2006, the population of Penetanguishene has already exceeded that allocation.
He said the municipality has already received millions of dollars in grant money to expand its water and sewer infrastructure.
“And now they are saying they can’t be that big,” said Patterson.
In Adjala-Tosorontio, the population in 2006 was 11,100 and its growth allocation for 2031 is 13,000, which Patterson said it has already surpassed.
“My goal is to be at Queen’s Park and help them understand that the numbers the bureaucrats are generating to give to the ministers don’t make sense,” said Patterson.
Although Wasaga Beach was fairly pleased with its growth allocation of 26,300 by 2031, it is 8,700 less than allocated in the Simcoe County Official Plan.
Patterson said in some cases the numbers don’t make sense because Wasaga Beach has sewer and water capacity for 38,000 while other municipalities have been allocated more growth and don’t have available services.
Looking at alternative waste management methods, keeping spending down to help residents manage the recession, reviewing the structure of county council and its rules of governance and dealing with the downloading of the national debt incurred in part through the distribution of stimulus funds are other issues high on his priority list.
“From a county council perspective, trust, respect, communication, that’s where I want to be able to change the attitude county council has these days,” said Patterson. “And there has been a lack of communication.”
He said he wants to increase transparency when it comes to dealing with Queen’s Park and other wardens.
“I want to really promote the deputy warden position so that when it comes time for me to step down there is somebody there who has already been involved,” said Patterson, adding that he would make that position official. “Wherever possible I will have everybody involved. If they are not there at the table, they will have the minutes of the meetings.”
Patterson has lived in Wasaga Beach for 30 years. He lives with his wife Debbie and has three adult children and his first grandchild is on the way.
Patterson has been providing peer support through the Canadian Cancer Society since 2005. He is a cancer survivor and also lost a daughter and a sister to the disease. He is also a partner in five harness racing horses.