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Big shoes to fill

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In Bradford West Gwillimbury
Oct 28th, 2010
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By Miriam King Editor Bradford Times October 28 2010
In the days leading up to the election, there were some disparaging remarks made about the “White-Roughley administration.” We’d like to point out that the decisions made over the past four years were decisions of Council, not just the Mayor and Deputy Mayor – and that, in fact, this has been one of the most productive Councils this municipality has ever seen.
Although Council members occasionally had their differences, they worked together to secure almost $40 million in funding, to finally bring the Town a long-awaited multi-use recreation complex with an indoor pool; a new Library and cultural centre which can stage theatrical productions; funding for long-deferred road repairs and new roads; and the money to undertake improvements to the Holland Marsh Drainage Scheme, improvements that have been identified as vital for the past 2 decades.
They worked together to develop a Strategic Plan that set priorities – priorities that included revitalization of the Downtown, a new trails network to provide recreational options, and Public Transit – and they have worked hard with staff, to move those priorities forward.
Deputy Mayor Dennis Roughley has been one of the hardest-working members of this Council. In his 22 years in office, over the past 25 years, he has served the municipality and the County of Simcoe well.
He does his research; when he receives a complaint from a citizen – e.g., about garbage collection – he has tracked down the answer, even though garbage is a County responsibility. He has pushed forward the interests of the Town wherever possible – securing funding for an addition to the Seniors’ housing at 100 Miller Park and, as Chair of the Simcoe Muskoka Board of Health, persuading the County to invest millions of dollars in Southlake Regional Health Centre. He worked with Southlake, the Central Local Health Integration Network, and other health service providers, on a plan to transform the old library into a primary health care centre.
The electors, in considering the platforms and the policies of the candidates, did not return Dennis Roughley to office, but elected Robert Keffer as the Town’s new Deputy Mayor.
We are sure that Mr. Keffer will become a valued member of the Council team; that he will bring new perspectives and new insights to his role on Council.
But we’re warning him now: He has some big shoes to fill.

 

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