BWG mayor to run for deputy warden

Bradford West Gwillimbury Mayor Doug White has not yet made his intention public. 

But county sources say seeking the position of deputy-warden may be the first step in a carefully orchestrated bid to become Simcoe County’s first full-time, four-year warden in 2014 (county council has yet to approve the change to the wardenship’s term and function.) 

The prospect of White at the helm dismays some observers who look at the high debt and massive sprawl that has afflicted BWG under his leadership.

Recently, White articulated his vision for Simcoe County as one in which Highway 400 becomes the county’s “high street,” with businesses sprouting on either side.

There is an alternative vision, one that sees our shrinking farmland base as an asset to be vigorously defended, rather rather than cheap fodder for outside developers. 

An alternative vision sees a highway as a link between communities, not a vector for sprawl.

An alternative vision would direct jobs and retail opportunities into Simcoe County’s urban centres, where existing infrastructure and services (like public transit) can support new development. 

AWARE Simcoe has articulated this anti-sprawl philosophy in two documents, the first – A Vision Unfulfilled – responding to Infrastructure Minister Bob Chiarelli’s pro-development Amendment 1, the second – Democracy Denied – commenting on the county’s draft modified Official Plan.

Both the warden and deputy warden positions are up for election at the December 11 inaugural county council meeting. 

At this point, incumbent Warden Cal Patterson is the only declared candidate for the top job. Until 2010, the warden position came up for election every year; former warden Tony Guergis shepherded in the change to the present two-year term. The deputy-warden position is a new one, added by the last term of council to take effect in 2010.

White has made further changes in governance his top priority, with the chair of the governance committee being the only position of significance he’s assumed in Midhurst this term.