Michelle Williams Running for Municipal Council
Question #1: With an apparent change in policy by the Provincial Government, it appears privately owned shops will be able to sell Cannabis products. Should the City of Dryden grant business licenses to local shops to sell cannabis and associated products? How many should be allowed?
Answer: Since the provincial government has decided to privatize the sale of cannabis in Ontario, when the city opts in to having a brick and motor dispensary in the community they relinquish all control of the number of licenses that can be awarded – i.e. if 15 people wanted to open a store and the AGCO gave them the licenses then all 15 could open, which in its self isn’t bad….economic growth is what Dryden needs – the issue comes with the potential increase in costs that will be put on the community’s back in the form of regulation enforcement by either police or bi law officers who still need extensive training in these areas (another cost). My suggestion is that on the January 22 dead line we take the one-time opportunity to opt out so we can do more research into the effects the private shops are having in other communities. We can opt in at any time but once opted in we can never opt back out – the lack of information about the net effects warrants more research before we dive in head first.
Question #2: The first issue Council will face will be a decision on the OPP servicing the City versus remaining with the Dryden Police Service. Do you have a preference? And-a simple yes or no-would you be willing to hold a referendum on a possible switch?
Answer: Many of my fellow candidates will say we do not have enough information to give an answer to this question and we will have to see what is presented at the November 28th meeting to formulate an opinion but I can tell you personally, that my belief is that The Dryden Police Service does far more for this community and the quality of life of its residents than many of us understand. From their partnerships with organizations throughout the community, to the yearly Kids and Cops fishing tournament the DPS are a huge thread in the fabric of this community. Many of those programs could be lost if we went to OPP and I don’t believe that this something that Dryden can afford to give up. This HAS to be about more than money and I hope that we have people at the table for the six months following the report being given, that are able to ask the right questions to get a full understanding of what the net effect to Dryden as a community would be – not just to the budget. The possible disbandment of the DPS is a situation where the entire City would be changed at its core and believe that this type of decision cannot be made by 7 people alone, therefore I would be in support of a referendum.
Question #3: Possibly the most contentious issued faced by Council this year was the withdrawal of service by the Dryden Fire Fighters Association and the resulting restructuring of Dryden Fire Services. Do you feel the issue has been dealt with and is now closed or do you want to see it re-opened?
Answer: This issue has taken on a life of its own. It was mishandled from day one and for that I am upset. I am saddened by the number of citizens who have been truly hurt by it in all different capacities– that being said I am not interested in rehashing old disagreements or continuing to pass blame. I feel that we need to allow the current model finish out its year so we can assess for ourselves what worked about it and what didn’t. Perhaps a formulation of a board similar to the Police Costing Board could happen as I am concerned about whether or not the community examples we were given to prove the model worked are actual benchmark communities and I believe we will have to take a critical look at the ACTUAL cost, performance and public reception of the model. I would love to see some of the retired members Dryden Fire Fighters Association, along with members of the community develop a diverse well-rounded group to take an analytical look at the model and to help us move forward. If this model is working it still heavily relies on volunteers and I would like to see some of the human capital we spent years investing in return to the hall – there are relationships here that can and frankly must be fixed by having humble, honest conversations with all stakeholders represented.
Question #4: Approximately 20% of Dryden residents are First Nations people. As a member of Council what would you do to ensure that our Indigenous residents, visitors and neighbors feel welcomed and are included as Dryden moves forward?
Answer: Dryden’s growing First Nations population brings with it a new set of opportunities and challenges. I would like to see the City continue its work with the Dryden Area Anti-Racism Network, the Dryden Native Friendship Centre and other organizations like them to gain an understanding of the needs of these new community members and how we can work together as one, unified community of mutual respect going forward. Issues with our current supply of things including but not limited to housing, child care and social services need to be identified at the community level so we can go to the upper levels of government for assistance in making them available to the public.
Question #5: What would you do to enhance recreational activities and make Dryden more accessible and active?
Answer: The City has much work to do to ensure that the we are accessible for citizens of all abilities. From widening of doorways to lowering of counters all areas of most of the City owned infrastructure requires attention. Having been on the DREAM Committee who just completed some extensive renovations to the Dryden Memorial Arena related to making it more accessible I know that there are grants dedicated to capital and improving accessibility. I would like to see the efforts made at the Arena extended throughout the City.
Question #6: What is the single most important issue facing our newly elected Council in the coming year-and the single most important long-term issue for the four-year term?
Answer: What I would like to focus my energy on first is improving the way information about the City and Council is communicated to the public. In the last 10 months I have spent a lot of time in the council section of the website and finding the information I wanted was not easy. Once I did find it, the minutes were full of political jargon making it even harder. Although I understand the need for this for things like reporting and governance regulations, I believe there is a way to make sure the City communicates what is happening in the council chambers to the public in a more user-friendly and accessible way. I honestly believe that many of the issue we see arise in this City stem from misinformation or no information at all. As for a long term I agree with my fellow candidates that have mentioned the need for a strategic plan. I believe that developing a plan that sets our priorities, focuses our energy and provides direction is necessary not only to ensure that we are effectively managing the city but also to provide a benchmark for the public to measure our success against. A properly laid out strategic plan that is made available to the public will help facilitate transparency between council and the citizens as it should be guiding everything The City does.
Question #7: Why should we vote you to Council?
Answer: I am not a single-issue candidate, I am someone who rather than sitting back and complaining has decided to act in the hopes of making the City I love better. I will be the first to admit that I will have a lot learn if elected, but I will also tell you that I am not afraid to roll my sleeves up and do the work. I am committed to learning about the unique strengths and challenges Dryden has and finding ways to capitalize on them to better the City as a whole. I want to work with the all the different demographics in our community to help improve the quality of life of all residents and make sure that their voices are heard in the Chambers. Dryden needs to develop a council filled with people who are not afraid to speak up when they see or hear something they don’t agree with and who are able to challenge each other and administration to think outside of the box when it comes to the issues facing us. I throw myself completely in every task and role I take on and pride myself on my drive and determination. I pride myself on it in my personal life, my professional life and I hope that when voting you will consider marking the box beside Michelle Williams, so I can pride myself on it in my political life.
