Springwater’s Jack Hanna to run in October

From Councillor Jack Hanna’s column in the Springwater News

I have accepted the challenge to run for re-election.

If someone better qualified comes forward I would consider retirement. For the record I am supporting Bill French for Mayor (tested and proven to be excellent and dedicated to all of Springwater) and Jim Sales for Deputy Mayor (an amazing candidate with 40 years of municipal experience).

If you are going to vote, do your homework. Evaluate the records of incumbents and qualifications of all the candidates. Residents cannot afford mistakes of the past. I suspect those with agendas will start the negative attacks to offset their poor performance, shortcomings and questionable past decisions.

Council is the board of directors for the Township (they are not employees). Residents need representatives who will protect their interests, tax dollars, strive for accountability to create safe, affordable, communities for you to live and work. We need intelligent people who can be trusted to make fiscally responsible decisions based on facts and not on their efforts to gain popularity.

There is still time to become a candidate in the next election. Those who have expressed a need for stronger representation should consider stepping up. The following is an update of the important issues that have transpired in June.

MIDHURST MEGA DEVELOPMENT: A public open house related the Environmental Study of Midhurst water, wastewater and transportation took place on June 18th. Following the presentation residents were encouraged to ask questions. A number of the concerns focused on the lack of new roads to accommodate increased traffic, current properties being forced to hookup to the sewer system, increased taxes, depletion of the aquifer, loss of farmland, impacts on Willow Creek and Minesing Wetlands. The report is available online at www.springwater.ca/msp_ea Residents are encouraged to submit their concerns to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. The deadline is Sept 18, 2018. Part 2 request forms are available www.springwater.ca/msp_ ea

My personal exchanges included questions why this council did not stop the Mega Development when so many are objecting. My short answers: I was the only one to vote against the MSP during the last term of council. My commitment to residents has not changed, even when I was warned I could be sued personally. I have supported Mayor French’s efforts to restrain aggressive developers. I supported his commitment to meet with the Province to request that the “special rule” that allowed the development to happen, be rescinded and Springwater be allowed to govern its growth.

All of us as residents should have done more in the beginning! I agree that when the MSP was being planned we were not well informed. (Intentional?) That is one reason why I maintain my monthly updates and forward agendas. As some may recall that during the last term of Council I was the only one to provide updates, even after efforts to control me generated a closed session investigation which confirmed that the heads of Council had violated the Municipal Act.

In retrospect, did residents pay attention when the MSP was being approved? Did they get involved? Did they voice their objection? Did voters do their homework before electing those that were responsible for the MSP and had agendas? I have stated a number of times that I am only one vote and have encouraged residents to attend Council meetings. My response to those opposed to the MSP is that the Province allowed the development and are in control. Our hope for the future is to elect a Council (including French and Sales) that can be trusted to protect the interests of all our resident’s going forward.

DEVELOPMENT CHARGES (D.C.): Council has approved a bylaw that will adjust the amount of D.C. that can be collected to help pay for growth. This will help avoid significant increases and may reduce the financial impacts on taxpayers that can be generated by development. The Impact on taxpayers can average 25% to 30% of the cost to support growth. For details go to www.springwater.ca/ DC_Background_Study

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