Collingwood: 150 turn out to kick off Cooper campaign

By Morgan Ian Adams Collingwood Enterprise Bulletin August 30 2010
COLLINGWOOD — Sandra Cooper kicked off her quest for the mayor’s chair, Sunday, with promises to reel in spending and listen to residents.
More than 150 people turned out to the Royal Canadian Legion for a meet-and-greet with the candidate; attendees were also treated to an endorsement of the current candidate by Ron Emo, who sat in the mayor’s chair for eight years in the 1980s.
“We want to have a council that works cooperatively,” Emo told the crowd. “Sandra knows all of us, she knows the issues, and she will be the best mayor we’ve ever had.”
Cooper focused much of her brief speech on municipal spending and the town’s debt, which she said has nearly tripled to $48.7 million from $17 million. She also delivered a withering indictment of the leadership demonstrated by current mayor Chris Carrier, which is one of the themes on her campaign website.
“Our current council deliberations are a mix of confrontation, alienation, and division,” said Cooper, who has served two terms as a councillor, and two terms as deputy-mayor. “Our council must have leadership that encourages working together.
“We need a council that works together as a team — that’s been lacking.”
Cooper also pledged to get the development on the former Admiral Collingwood school site going again, and — in a shot at the other mayoral candidate, Councillor Kathy Jeffery — to get restaurant patios on the main street back beside the buildings.
The two women have been on opposite ends of the decision to move patios to the curb side of main street sidewalks, with Jeffery decisively pushing to see patios moved in order to make main street sidewalks more accessible.
She ended her speech promising to “involve and listen to the people of Collingwood.” She noted the two major petitions presented this term — the first to work with the developer of Admiral Collingwood Place and get a project built on the site, and the other to keep restaurant patios on the main street beside buildings — were ignored.
“The council today does not listen… we need to listen to the people,” she said. “You know who I am, who I represent, and now my position. My integrity stands firm.”
Aside from Jeffery, the other mayoral candidate in the race is Collingwood resident Raymond Branget. Current mayor Chris Carrier has opted to pursue the federal Conservative nomination in Simcoe-Grey rather than run for re-election.