Chamber Questions For the Election

These are questions sent to me by the Summerside Chamber of Commerce in regards to the recent election. My answers are listed below:
Cory Thomas
Councillor, Ward 8 Wilmot
Responses


1.HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS ELECTRICAL RATES TO ENSURE BUSINESS IN THE GREATER SUMMERSIDE AREA HAVE COMPETITIVE RATES WITH BUSINESSES IN OTHER LOCATIONS?

•Currently our rates are competitive with the rest of the Province of Province Edward Island as the City follows Maritime Electric rates.
•I believe owning our own utility can be an economic development tool and I will lobby council to examine the possibility of lower rates to assist in the attraction and retention of business.


2.WHAT IS YOUR LONG TERM (5 TO 10 YEARS) VISION FOR SUMMERSIDE THAT WILL ENHANCE AND CREATE SUSTAINABILITY FOR BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY?

Governments alone cannot create sustainability for local business but it is imperative we work and partner with business to make our community attractive to do business with. City needs to provide competitive tax and electrical rates, modern infrastructure and services that make Summerside an attractive place to live and do business. The City Corporation must work with key stakeholders when developing policies.

The Following Points I believe if addressed, will help our community prosper:

•Arts, Cultural and Heritage Strategy- Arts, culture and heritage are a valuable entity in any community that wishes to grow and prosper. My concern is that the development and planning in this area has not been strategic in nature but rather “Ad-Hoc”. I will not be supporting any new initiatives in these areas until the City has a strategic plan that will guide us into the future. This plan must incorporate best practices and involve extensive consultation with stakeholders. Council has recently approved for this to take place.
•Tourism Strategy- The groups and City administration need to stop working in silos and each separately going to the Province and ACOA looking for funding for tourism. I will be making a motion that the City work with stakeholders and develop a common tourism strategy for the area. This plan must incorporate best practices and involve extensive consultation with stakeholders.
•Economic Development Advisory Committee- My vision is that the business community will assist the City of Summerside Economic Development Department in developing City business policies. I will be proposing an advisory committee of business leaders assist the City.

•Adult education- We need to work closely with our adult education partners in the PEI such as Holland College and UPEI to provide training to area residents. By investing in human capital and innovation, we can grow our community and help develop tomorrow’s entrepreneurs. While the concept of having our own university is a nice “pipe dream”, reality is we need to work our adult education partners that currently exist within Summerside and Prince Edward Island. If we do not, we will be left behind.


•Slemon Park – My vision is to work closely with Slemon Park Corporation and industries housed at Slemon Park (adult education, aerospace) and continue to develop innovative concepts and partnerships that are beneficial to the region and the Province. I am tired of the “old politics” and “old wounds” I hear between the City and Slemon Park, it is time to work together for the common good.
•Community Safety – We need a safe community to live, do business and raise our families. I will continue to support investment in recreation and crime prevention opportunities, as well as investment in police and fire protection.


3.WHAT IS THE LARGEST UNTAPPED RESOURCE POTENTIAL FOR SUMMERSIDE?

Tourism

“Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Albert Einstein 1879-1955

•You cannot make Summerside a tourist destination if you follow the above quote by Albert Einstein which seems to have been the norm in the last number of years in regards to tourism in Summerside. We cannot keep working as splintered groups running to the provincial government looking for dollars. The City needs to do a better job, as does the groups such as Downtown Summerside, The Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Summerside, of working together to develop a comprehensive tourism strategy. What is Summerside Area’s position in regards to Tourism? What is the desired position? The path to reach this desired position is set out with the development of a tourism strategy. A sound strategy can only be developed with the aid of proper research. It must have involvement of all major stakeholders, and the definition of clear goals. The ultimate strategy leads to an improved business model and sustainable destination development.
•Adult education- My view for successful community economic development, is an educated workforce. We need to work closer with UPEI and Holland College. Investment in adult education is the key for the City to grow and prosper.
•City Waterfront- We have the nicest view in the world, we need to continue to invest and promote our waterfront.
•Arts, Culture and Heritage- We have much to be proud of in our heritage. We need a strategy.


4.WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON THE COMPETIVENESS OF PROPERTY TAX RATES FOR THE CITY?

•I would support lowering taxes however before that can take place, the City will need to conduct an operational review to see where we can cut costs and make our operations more efficient.

5. DO YOU FEEL THERE IS A TRAFFIC FLOW PROBLEM WITHIN THE CITY - IN PATICULAR AT THE INTERSECTION OF CENTRAL STREET, POPE ROAD AND POPE ROAD EXTENSION? WHAT STEPS WOULD YOU TAKE TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES?
•Traffic Management Plan- The city needs a traffic management plan which would involve experts looking at the design of our streets and crosswalks, and develop ways to alleviate traffic congestion and make them safer. It needs to be strategic in nature, not ad hoc planning. I currently have a proposal with council to move in this area. We have the qualified staff within the City Technical Services Department to carry out such a study.
•East-West Connector Plan- There is a plan before council to have a connector plan in the Eastern end of the City which would alleviate traffic congestion off Small Avenue. This needs to be explored further.

6. IN YOUR OPINION WHAT TYPE OF POLICIES (i.e. INCENTIVES etc.) WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE IMPLEMENTED BY THE CITY TO FOSTER INCREASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?

•Electrical rates- We have our own utility; we should be using it as an incentive to attract business
•Communication- City needs to communicate better with business community. Incentive packages should be reviewed with key stakeholders before adoption at council. I believe we need to review and build on our current “Summerside Economic Development Incentive Policy”

7. WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON THE CITY’S?
a) DEBT LOAD

•From my knowledge of working in municipal government in the past as a manager and teaching public sector management of recreation and leisure services at the college level, all municipalities have debt unless they do not invest in modern water and sewer systems, or other assets of significance such as parks, green space and recreation facilities (which academic research shows investment in parks and recreation facilities can lead to business relocation and expansion), public safety assets such as modern policing and fire facilities/equipment/ and culture and heritage facilities. I view investment in these areas and ditch infilling, road repaving and sidewalk enhancements, as good debt for a community. An example of bad debt, that I would never support, would be if money were borrowed on a long term basis to cover operating losses of the City sewer operations or other City operations. In this case, fees would need to be increased or services cut within the City operating structure. I do believe, however, as a City Corporation we need to ask ourselves, “What business are we in?” and we need to plan in a strategic manner any future large capital expenditures.

b) ACCOUNTABILITY TO COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS

•Consultation- Council needs to ensure bureaucrats are consulting with the various stakeholders with a vested interest when developing economic development policies.
•Any portfolio I am given will involve extensive community consultation. For example, as Chair of Police, I appointed a Community Safety Committee to consult and provide advice to Council. As a result, we are the only community in PEI to have conducted a thorough Community Safety Audit to guide us in our future decisions regarding public safety. This was developed through a committee of stakeholders and volunteers and partnership with the Attorney General’s Office. The Community Safety Committee consulted with the community and stakeholders to come to their findings for the Community Safety Audit. This committee will continue to develop programs and work with the community.
•Chamber Board- We have a senior manager with the City on the Chamber Board of Directors Executive so I would hope that the Chamber’s concerns are coming back to the City through this avenue.