Election 2016: Vote on October 15
This is NOT a paid review. I am not getting paid to endorse any candidates. I care deeply about my community and want to see the best for it. All opinions are solely mine. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my advertisers. All errors are also mine.
YES! This is long, but it’s important so please take the time to read!
There is a municipal and town election this October. As parents and members of our community, it’s time we step up to the plate and pay attention to the issues that are going to affect our families.
I am mostly going to be talking about Kentville, as that is where I live, but the issues are similar everywhere.
Voter Demographics
In the last Kentville election, people in their 90s were more likely to cast a vote than people under the age of 40! (yes, really!)
What does this say about the younger generations? We don’t care? We can’t be bothered? We aren’t being listened to or engaged, so what’s the point?
All of these may be reasons for not taking the time to cast a vote. But things will never change if people are not willing to make their voices heard, either in political discussions or at the ballot box.
Sometimes it’s difficult to become involved in the political process, but thanks to a wide variety of media – everything from the Advertiser to campaign information, to, yes, social media like this post – it’s easier than ever to get in touch with the issues. And most important of all, it’s absolutely easier than ever to cast a vote!
Voting is Easy
If taking time to go to a polling station is something you can’t fit into your day, then why not vote online, which can be done in 1 minute 30 seconds. (Really – they’ve done the research.)
You will receive a card in the mail with instructions for your various voting options: it will include information about where to go to vote in advance polls or on election day. It will also include a web address and a pin number unique to you: this is what you can use if you choose to cast your ballot online.
If you do not receive a voting card, contact your town hall or municipal office.
You can vote for 1 Mayor and up to 6 Councillors. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO VOTE FOR 6! Do not waste your votes on people you are not sure about.
Please do your research before voting. Don’t just go for names you recognize, but do due diligence and ask or read up on them!
Issues Affecting Families in Kentville
We have lived in Kentville for 12 years and I have been actively involved in the community. I was the chair of the fundraising committee for the KCA playground where we raised $140,000 on our own, without town funding.
I was contracted by the Town to write the community e-newsletter for 1.5 years, am extremely active in the KCA PTA and have attended countless workshops on community economic development on my own time and dime. I am also the CBC Community Contact on Information Morning, reporting the news from Kentville.
I have an idea of what is happening in town.
I had considered running this fall for Town Council myself, however, we will be in Wales for a few months in 2017 and
I don’t agree that council members, who are public servants and who are getting a salary should be allowed to be away for months at a time and Skype in to meetings (like councilors Bill Boyd and Mark Pearl).
If you are away for 4 months a year, in a 4 year term, that’s 1 year being away! Are you ok with that?
How do you hear citizen concerns? If you are on committees, who picks up the slack from your absence? Why are your phone bills, medical insurance and stipend all still being paid?
My Concerns
Communication: Having a degree in public relations, it’s one of the first things I notice.
Right now, the only communication I see coming from the Town is an occasional press release in the newspaper and posts on Facebook. Relying solely on Facebook to communicate with people is a mistake, because you miss people who are not on Facebook and those who miss the information in their newsfeed.
I don’t see postings about upcoming meetings, or letting people know what issues will be discussed. Many towns like Wolfville, Middleton and Annapolis Royal do this consistently.
Agendas are posted as little as an hour before Council meetings while the minutes of those meetings are posted months later. Nothing is undertaken in a timely manner, and it discourages citizen participation in the important discussions that impact our community.
There is a reluctance to engage certain topics, especially ones that are controversial: poverty in Kentville, downtown snow removal, etc., and there is also a refusal to answer citizens’ questions about town procedures. It was this strong reluctance on the part of the Town to respond to community members’ concerns that primarily led me to remove myself from the town newsletter.
Even though it did not reach its full potential, the newsletter was still a valuable tool for conveying information about community events and other activities of interest to the citizens of Kentville. Since I stopped doing the newsletter, however, this important communication tool has not been continued by the Town.
Spending: There are so many unnecessary expenditures happening at town hall!
KCA School
Did you know that it cost the town of Kentville $1.5 MILLION of taxpayers’ money for the new KCA school?
The town wanted to have the new school in its current location, despite there being two alternative locations. The school was built on a soccer field, so the town had to promise to replace that soccer field at a cost of roughly $500,000.
Then, there was the propane tank. Remember that? Jog your memory with the news story.
Superior Propane did not want to move the tank, so the town paid $1million to have it moved.
Parents were, of course, concerned that the tank was so close to the school and nothing seemed like it was being done about the issue. The media got involved and noted parents’ concerns.
“You tell your people to stop talking to the media!” is what the Mayor told the PTA.
Soon afterwards, the tank was moved.
And, yes, our Mayor can lose his temper! We’ve been at the receiving end and there was a great display of this in the recent town debate.
Is this an ambassador for our town?
Transparency of Expenditures
No one really knows what expenditures are claimed because this public information concerning public money is not available to the public.
But, we do know that councilors get laptops, pensions, internet and cellphone stipends. Even when two councilors (Mark Pearl and Bill Boyd) are relocating to Florida for 3-4 months a year (an administrative practice they implemented to suit their needs and without public consultation) they are getting medical, pensions, town-funded cellphones with the plans paid for and are continuing to receive their full stipend as a councilor.
We need to ask ourselves: are they serving their constituents and this community as effectively from Florida? And if not, why is the community paying their way, in full?
Why aren’t these expenditures available to the public? Why is the Mayor over budget consistently? We don’t know, because we aren’t privy to that information.
Lack of Support for Valley Family Fun
Did you know that the town approved an annual expenditure to support and help run a new website in the area that is in direct conflict with Valley Family Fun?
I will NOT post the name of this website here because I do not want anyone to click on the link to give them “hits”. Ask me, and I will tell you.
I was asked to take down Valley Family Fun so that this new website could be the one place where people in the Valley would go for their information. I could run this new website for them if I was receiving EI. I of course declined.
The Town of Kentville houses this third-party website, allocates staff time to its creation and management, oversaw the staff creating it and supports it financially.
When I discovered the plan was to start the new site by taking the information from Valley Family Fun to create theirs, I sent countless letters to the Town and other recreation services involved.
Never once did I receive an apology from the Town.
Wolfville and Middleton and a few other towns refused to contribute financially to this website as a gesture of support for those of us who are already working in this industry (Valley Events, Grapevine, etc… who all work extremely well together).
Why is taxpayers’ money being allocated to duplicate services already offered and which undermines the work of its own residents and business owners?
I do a lot of work through Valley Family Fun to promote Kentville. I have written blog posts about Miner’s Marsh, the trails, the museums and the bike course. I have never received payment.
I do this because I love our town and want people to come and love it, too!
Fear:
I feel there has been a culture of fear in this town, where people are afraid to stand up and ask questions. Maybe they are tired of not being listened to, or are afraid of the consequences.
Since standing up and helping candidates with their campaigns (well before this blog post has come out), I have become a target in the community.
I was a builder of the KCA Playground. Our family built the Wee Library at Miner’s Marsh. I have worked tirelessly for the school and community as a volunteer. I have promoted the Town consistently, for years, in blogposts, on Valley Family Fun, and elsewhere. I believe that my record shows that I am a strong supporter of the community and a firm believer in a bright future for Kentville. But…
Because I am helping several of the new candidates seeking office this Fall, my reputation has been maligned. The message is that there is “a cost” to supporting “the opposition”. I am not even running for council, and yet I now have become a target on social media and in the community because I was brave enough (or crazy) to voice my opinions and support those who wish to revitalize the political process in Kentville.
Dennis told me a few days ago that after Mark Pearl arrived at his house with a bylaw officer to make him take down his art, he asked about the Mayor’s car but was told it was different! Go ask him about it. He lives at the bottom of Canaan Ave. He’d love to tell you about it and asked me to report that on his behalf.
No Plan: There is no plan for the Town, or at least one that is available to the public.
Where is the Town’s strategic plan? Where are we going? Who do we want to be? What’s the plan for attracting more businesses? How are we going to work towards alleviating poverty? What is the communication strategy for getting information out to citizens, and – perhaps most important of all – for engaging those citizens as active participants in planning the Town’s future?
How can you get somewhere if you have no road map laying out the route? For too long we have been living as a status quo community, dealing with issues only as they arise, rather than proactively planning for a strong future.
Why didn’t we have a plan to use the gym space of the old KCA? The Kentville Rotary did a Needs Assessment report in 2012 and noted this as a priority.
Why did we tear down the chimney of the old KCA even though it was confirmed as a nesting site for the endangered chimney swifts?
Why did we we buy the Edge Building? Is it an election ploy because I don’t see a plan its use either. Will it just become an albatross weighing down the town?
It’s Time for a Change. It’s Time for a Plan. It’s Time for New Leadership.
For me, this election has always been about the issues. It is not a popularity contest.
It is not picking someone over someone else.
It’s about voting for our community. It’s about voting for what is best for the future of Kentville.
It’s not about taking away from the great work that has been done over the past few years. It’s about whether or not we need something different and can do better than the status quo!
It’s not about trying to get rid of someone or beat someone else. It’s about getting rid of ineffectual practices and changing the policies that aim simply to maintain the status quo rather than build something better.
It’s about voting for transparency in the political process. It’s about picking government that works by consulting the community, rather than by threatening its members when they don’t conform, or when they refuse to remain silent when they see a better path. I have now felt and seen those threats first-hand, and I know that I am not alone.
And there is an alternative to where we are right now. At the last local conference I attended on rural community economic development (which NO ONE from the Town of Kentville attended, by the way. Thousands of dollars are spent on attending national conferences in Toronto or Vancouver, but no-one considers it worthwhile to participate in the local ones talking about local issues?) we were challenged to think what we would do individually for our community.
I decided I would commit to supporting Sandra Snow for Mayor of Kentville and Lynn Pulsifer for Town Council. Since then I have also been working with and now support Cathy Maxwell for Town Council. I am volunteering for them, because I believe in them and what they stand for.
Here’s why.
Sandra Snow for Mayor of Kentville
Who is Sandra Snow?
- Retired from a 35-year career in military aviation, working for 20 years in the Air Force followed by 15 years as a government contractor.
- Volunteer board member for 6 years and and served for 8 years as President of the Valley Regional Hospital Foundation.
- Chair of the Kentville Merchants’ Group
- Business owner: owns the Grand Street Inn B&B in Kentville with her spouse, Richard
- Family: has one son, Alex, who is an apprentice carpenter in Quispamsis NB.
Sandra believes in transparency and communication. She will help create and guide a plan for Kentville.
“I will restore transparency and accountability. All votes will be recorded. A voting record will be available for review. Knowing how a council member votes on issues controlling our daily lives is a necessity. Council meetings will be live streamed, the technology is readily available in Kentville.”
She will review the idea of councilors Skyping in to meetings for months at a time, and will lead an examination of the necessity of a pension plan. She will oversee a review of the bylaws and see which ones need to be updated (especially regarding what constitutes a sign!)
Sandra Snow will:
- Draft Policies and Bylaws which will break down the barriers and support growth, innovation, entrepreneurship and prosperity in Kentville
- Revitalize Oakdene Park with the help from community volunteers and groups
- Repair main artery sidewalks to downtown for both walking and accessible transportation
- Establish a Kentville volunteer “Do Crew” for downtown beautification
- Support Kentville Merchants Group to enhance downtown shopping and increase activity and events in Centre Square
- Build greenspace along the Cornwallis River with accessible trails, a bandstand, water feature, gardens, picnic area, and dog park
Sandra Snow DOES NOT support amalgamation. The Mayor knew that when he spoke last, no one would have a chance to offer a rebuttal statement. Everything he said in the video clip was wrong.
1. That’s not what that petition was about. It was about getting the town to do a governance study to find better ways to offer services. Corkum says it’s really about amalgamation. It does not say amalgamation on the petition.
2. That’s not how amalgamation works. There MUST be public consultation and a vote if amalgamation were to ever happen
3. Sandra Snow for Mayor of Kentville 2016 and Lynn Pulsifer for Kentville Town Council do support a governance study but NOT amalgamation!! What if the study shows we are doing everything right? What if we can find more joint ventures like Valley Waste, the library and a skate park? How about a wellness centre?
Sandra has been working so hard behind the scenes. She has attended virtually every council or advisory council meeting for the past year. She has gone through every document and policy report with a fine tooth comb. She knows the budget inside and out and it doesn’t intimidate her! She has met with and listened to countless people in the community to find out their concerns, and has sought out other politicians in Kentville and elsewhere for their advice.
Some have claimed that Sandra cannot be Mayor because she has no experience. I ask you to look at Pam Mood, the Mayor of Yarmouth. Mayor Mood did NOT have any council experience but was voted as mayor because she had leadership experience and the passion to make things better. She has become the queen of community engagement, and has involved the whole town in a process that is turning Yarmouth around!
Follow Sandra Snow for Kentville here.
Sandra Snow’s emphasis on planning, vibrant community engagement, and policy review will strengthen Kentville and help us to grow as a community and as a place to do business.
Lynn Pulsifer for Town Councilor
I support Lynn Pulsifer for Council because of her tireless work on behalf of the community, work that adds value to our lives here. In addition to her community work, she has been preparing incredibly hard over the past year for this election. She has attended nearly every council and advisory council and town meeting, in order to become familiar with all the issues.
She has undertaken literally hundreds of hours of research, looking at policies from other towns to find out how they conduct business and engage their communities in governance activities. She has interviewed lots of people, both within our community and elsewhere, and has gathered so many great ideas for Kentville.
Did you know Lynn Pulsifer was the person who engaged Margaret Atwood’s support for the fundraising campaign for the Kentville library? She contacted Margaret Atwood and asked her to participate! Already, donations are well over $10,000 through this campaign. Lynn cares deeply about the library, and she has the capacity to make things happen!
Lynn also wants to see more attention paid to seniors’ issues in Kentville. She believes that a senior-friendly downtown must include shaded seating areas with a gazebo or bandstand which can host cultural events. She intends to work for the development of the riverfront area, and conserve our history though information panels along it.
She insists upon council transparency, and that councilors must be accountable to the people they represent.
Here are her promises:
Engage the people, accountability with how the town spends its money. More green space, a new multi-purpose centre, a hall of fame and incentives to draw new business to town.
A long-term resident of Kentville, Lynn cares about this town and people. Judging by the amount of work she has done already, there is no doubt how hard she will work on our behalf on council!
She does NOT support amalgamation.
Follow Lynn Pulsifer for Kentville Town Council here.
Through working with Lynn and Sandra, I have also had the great pleasure to meet and work with Cathy Maxwell.
Cathy Maxwell for Town Council
Cathy is a long-time resident of Kentville, a retired teacher and swimming coach. She cares deeply about the town and has lots of great ideas for recreation, including much needed repairs for the Kentville pool. And, what about other indoor recreational facilities? A facelift for Oakdene Park is greatly needed, too!
For the record, Cathy does NOT support amalgamation, either!
There are so many candidates this year, which is great to see! Please don’t vote for names you recognize. Really look into their platforms and do your research!
A full list of the Mayoral and Council candidates is here.
Whomever you vote for on October 15th, I just hope you will vote, and that you will make an informed choice. Remember, you don’t have to vote for 6. Your voice matters to your community, so make it heard!
