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Political newcomer challenges old guard

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In Penetanguishene
Sep 17th, 2010
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Marshall seeking to topple council veterans Dubeau and Leroux in race for mayor
By Nicole Million Simcoe.com Sep 15, 2010
PENETANGUISHENE – Voters in Penetanguishene will have a lot of choices about who they want as mayor on Oct. 25.
Incumbent Anita Dubeau is hoping to be voted back into the position for a fourth term, but will have to get past Deputy Mayor Doug Leroux and first-time candidate Gerry Marshall.
“I love our community and want to see it continue to prosper and be a great place to raise a family, live and work,” said Dubeau.
Leroux, who has sat on council for a total of 19 years – including seven as deputy mayor – said he threw his hat in the ring because he feels the municipality is in need of a change in direction.
“We have areas that need attending to or changing, and we have concentrated over the last 10 years or so on new buildings and staffing. I think that direction has to change course,” he said. “We have to start concentrating on our infrastructure. We have so many roads and sidewalks that need replacing and repairs.”
He said he would also like to see a new direction in terms of the cultural side of the municipality.
“There is a real need for our children. To me, it’s lacking.”
This will be Marshall’s first foray into the political arena, but he said his more than two decades of experience handling large staffs and multimillion-dollar budgets will aid him should he be elected mayor.
Having lived in, left and then returned to the area, Marshall said he has a unique view of how the community has – and has not – improved.
“Coming back, you get to see the community with a new look and feel. There’s a sense of loss of vibrancy. I’ve noticed the community had changed from what I felt was a very vibrant and active community to something that was no longer that,” he said. “I look at our downtown core and think of what it could be and what it’s not.”
Marshall said despite running against two longtime council members, he believes he has what it takes to win the top job.
“I am not really running against the other two candidates. I’m really running for Penetang,” he said. “One of the political words bandied about is change, but to have change you have to have a vision. It is time for a change, but change with a vision. It could be so much more than it is.”
Important to many voters is the issue of taxes and services. For Dubeau, the key is achieving a balance between the two.
“There was a time in my career where I supported a zero per cent increase, but that is completely unrealistic. We have to continue to look for efficiencies within our systems,” she said, adding a good guideline to follow is the inflation rate. “I’m well aware that taxes are an issue within our community. We’re not the highest rate in the county, but, because of assessment, the homes in our community seem to be assessed 10 to 15 per cent more than in other communities, and that gives the perception our taxes are higher than everybody else.”
Leroux’s philosophy would be to minimize taxes without losing services.
“I am not a believer in reducing taxes and then losing services. I think our services are quite adequate now in a lot of respects, and I don’t foresee any great need to be looking at a large increase in taxes in coming years,” he said.
Marshall, however, disagreed.
“We are charged platinum rates for bronze service. We really need to find a way to better serve our customers with the tax dollars we do collect. I’m quite concerned that our taxes are high, but the services we deliver towards that tax dollar is not equitable,” he said. “We need to find ways to be more efficient, more effective and provide more service.”
Penetanguishene’s mayor also sits as a member of Simcoe County council – a role in which Dubeau and Leroux are already comfortable.
“I feel the county does us a great service. Waste management certainly is an issue,” said Dubeau. “A committee came forward with a plan. Can that plan be enhanced? Absolutely. We have to continue to reuse, recycle and try to come up with an idea that we won’t bury our garbage in the future – and I think that’s on the cusp at county council.”
Leroux agreed, noting waste management is still at the forefront of issues he would like to see tackled.
“When you go to county council, you’re supposed to be wearing a different hat. You’re supposed to be representing all of the county, not just your municipality, but that’s not always the case. You have to take into consideration events or needs for our community that have to brought forward,” he said, adding the biggest thing now is to press for a reduction in the amount of waste that goes to landfill.
Marshall agreed it’s important push county council to see what is being done when it comes to dealing with waste now that the Site 41 landfill proposal is dead.
“We have to stay on top of them, ask the right questions and make sure that it comes to mind. I want to make sure everyone is paying attention.”
Dubeau said her leadership style of building on consensus will help lead the municipality in the direction it needs to go.
“It takes nine people. You have to get five to six people to agree, and sometimes that’s a difficult issue,” she said.
Leroux described himself as a listener and team player who is also capable of giving and receiving direction.
“I would have no problem taking control of a meeting if it got off course,” he said. “You have to set the tone in what your meeting policies dictate, and often enough it gets away from that. That is where a chair has to take charge.”
Marshall agreed building a consensus is vital, but said it’s also a matter of having a vision and articulating that to the people with whom one is working.
“We need to share ideas, formulate plans and be in sync. You just need to communicate openly and freely,” he said. “I like long conversations. We’re not in a rush. There are 52 weeks in a year, and we don’t have to get it all done in Week 1. Let’s think our way through it and … not be so vain to think we have all the answers in the council room. We need to reach out to the community and ask what they think.”

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